The Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA), Taiwan and the Australia-Taiwan Business Council (ATBC) jointly convened the “34th Joint Conference of the ROC-Australia and Australia-Taiwan Business Councils” on Nov. 4, 2021 at the Hua Nan Bank International Convention Center, Taipei and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Chairman Yang, Wei-Fuu, ROC-ABC, CIECA, Taiwan (Chairman, Taiwan Power Company) and Chairman John Toigo, ATBC jointly presided over the video conference. More than 260 Taiwanese and Australian participants attended the meeting venues or joined the meeting online.
Ms. Wang, Mei-Hua, Minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C. and The Hon. Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Commonwealth of Australia prepared recorded statements to wish for the success of the conference. Mr. Deng, Chen-chung, Minister without Portfolio, Executive Yuan, R.O.C. addressed the participants in person and offered his encouragement. Rep. Elliott Y. L. Charng, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia joined the meeting online. Director General Edward Tao, Taipei Economic & Cultural Office, Brisbane attended the conference at Brisbane. Australian attendees included Rep. Jenny Bloomfield, Australian Office Taipei; Mr. Brent Moore, Deputy Representative and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, Australian Office Taipei and Commissioner Patrick Hafenstein, Trade & Investment Queensland Taiwan Office.
Taiwanese participants at the Hua Nan Bank International Convention Center included: Director-General Wallace Chow, Dept. of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan); Dr. Lee, Guann-Jyh, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA; Chairman Chin, Chi-Yuan, Silicon Touch Tech. Inc.; Chairman Tseng, Sheng-Bao, Sinotech Engineering Consultants, Inc.; Mr. Jason Lin, Honorary President, World Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce and Chairman Cai, Xiangfeng, Jiin Ming Industry Co., Ltd. Australian businessmen in Taiwan also joined the conference in person and there had been enthusiastic attendance from the business community.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Trade and Investment Opportunities between Taiwan and Australia in the Post-Pandemic Era”. As the post-coronavirus pandemic era is in sight and to respond to the latest situation posed by climate change and environmental, social, corporate governance, the conference invited experts to deliver presentations on the business opportunities of “Green Energy”, “Circular Economy” and “Biotechnology”. The forum moderators were Dr Chen, Yen-haw, Director, Research Div. I, Taiwan Institute of Economic Research and The Hon. Gary Hardgrave, Vice Chairman, Australia-Taiwan Business Council.
During “Special Report: Case Study of Business Cooperation between Taiwan and Australia”, the acquisition of Domino's Taiwan from Formosa International Hotels Corp. by Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd. (DPE) was presented as a successful case of cooperation.
The expert speakers were:
“Green Energy”: Dr. Rei, Min-Hon, CEO, Green Hydrotec Inc.
Ms. Phillipa Chen, Associate Director, Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Asset (MIRA), Macquarie Group
“Circular Economy”: Dr. Lin, Chun-Hsu, Deputy Director, Center for Green Economy, Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research
Hon. Trevor Evans MP, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management
“Biotechnology”: Dr. Herb Wu, CEO, Development Center for Biotechnology
Mr. Cameron Johnson, CEO, Nucleus Network Pty. Ltd.
“Business Cooperation between Taiwan and Australia”: Mr. Josh Kilimnik, CEO of Asia-Pacific, Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd.
Australia is Taiwan’s 11th largest trading partner, with total bilateral trade value having reached USD11.252 billion last year. There have been a total of 119 Taiwanese investments in Australia valued at USD3.2 billion and 682 Australian investments in Taiwan valued at USD2.76 billion. This year’s conference invited an Australian business leader to personally discuss a recently completed major investment in Taiwan.
Since 1985, CIECA held the Joint Conference of the ROC-Australia and Australia-Taiwan Business Councils which has been an important platform for communications and exchanges between the business communities of the two nations.
