TAITRA Chairman James C. F. Huang opens Taiwan Expo 2018 Oct. 25 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. (Courtesy of TAITRA)

Taiwan Expo 2018 opened Oct. 25 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in Malaysia as part of government efforts to strengthen business exchanges with the New Southbound Policy country.
 
The three-day fair is organized by the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). A total of 250 booths is showcasing a diverse range of products and services spanning green technology, halal certified products, healthcare, lifestyle—including cosmetics and home furnishings, smart city equipment and systems, and tourism.
 
Anne Hung, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, said the expo is a great platform for the two sides to deepen economic relations with some of Taiwan’s most innovative products and services on display. The two countries already enjoy close cultural ties, with the Southeast Asian country the largest source of visitors and students to Taiwan from the region in 2017.
 
TAITRA Chairman James C. F. Huang said the second edition of the annual event is expected to attract over 20,000 visitors and generate around US$50 million in business opportunities—surpassing last year’s US$36 million.
 
According to the council, halal face masks, a home pesticide test kit and smart machines for depositing trash and recycling garnered the most interest on the first day.
 
Malaysia was Taiwan’s seventh largest trading partner last year with bilateral trade exceeding US$17.5 billion, up 24.5 percent from 2016, according to BOFT statistics.
 
A key plank of the government’s national development strategy, the NSP seeks to deepen Taiwan’s agricultural, business, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand. (CPY-E)