The Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (ANZCham) in Taiwan has called for the establishment of a mechanism to cross-reference diplomas and academic certificates issued in the three countries, saying it would facilitate easier exchanges of talent.
Taiwan has yet to establish “a national qualification framework” for cross-referencing diplomas and qualifications obtained in Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand, ANZCham board member Vincent Chang (張維夫) said at the launch of this year’s “Discussion Paper” in Taipei on Thursday.
“For cross-border student exchanges, the imperfect mutual recognition of qualifications will cause various inconveniences when students return to Taiwan for work after graduation,” the paper said.
Photo courtesy of the Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce
With that in mind, the chamber urged Taiwan’s government to develop a framework that works similarly to those in Australia and New Zealand.
More than 5,000 Taiwanese studied in Australia last year, making it the second-largest destination for Taiwanese students, Chang said, adding that the establishment of such a mechanism would be “beneficial for the mobility of talent.”
National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said the government would hold talks with relevant parties over the issue.
Kung, who was invited to the report launch, lauded the “highly complementary” economies of Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand, adding that the combined bilateral trade between Taiwan and Australia, and between Taiwan and New Zealand surpassed US$34 billion last year.
Taiwan’s trade with Australia totaled about US$32.2 billion last year, representing an increase of about 63 percent compared with the previous year, the paper stated.
At the same time, Taiwan’s trade with New Zealand reached US$1.9 billion, a year-on-year increase of 14.2 percent, the paper shows.
While trade volume between the three sides has declined this year, that it should be “a short-term phenomenon” and would likely rebound next year, without elaborating, Kung said..
Kung also signaled Taiwan’s determination to “open up” and “work with the international community.”
He added that the country looks forward to expanding collaborations with Australia and New Zealand on the development of alternative energy.
Australian Office in Taipei Representative Robert Fergusson shared similar views, saying Australia has been one of Taiwan’s key energy security partners.
“We’re very keen to ensure we continue to support [the development of alternative energy in Taiwan], and commit to Taiwan’s energy security,” said Fergusson, who assumed the role of the Australian representative to Taiwan late last month.
Meanwhile, Fergusson’s New Zealand counterpart, Mark Pearson, expressed hope that Taiwan and New Zealand could bring bilateral ties to new heights, facilitating more partnerships in the areas of digital economy, innovation and low-carbon technologies.
The discussion paper issued on Thursday also remarked on the lack of clarity on rules and restrictions concerning the import of essential oil products in Taiwan, despite the existence of a standards bureau under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The chamber, which represents more than 70 corporate members, urged the Taiwanese government to form an inspection organization to assess the quality and safety of essential oil products and to improve consumer awareness.
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