Taiwan to finalise FTA talks with Singapore, New Zealand

Chang said during a legislative session that talks on the two agreements have entered their final phase and are expected to be completed as soon as within the first half of this year. However, he did not give an exact timetable for the conclusion of the Agreement between Singapore and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Partnership (ASTEP), and the Taiwan-New Zealand Economic Cooperation Agreement (ECA), saying that he could not make a unilateral announcement as the negotiations involve other parties. Chang made the remarks while answering a question from ruling Kuomintang Legislator Ting Shou-chung on when the pacts can be sealed. After the ASTEP and the ECA are signed, they will still need to be sent to the Legislative Yuan for review, Chang added. (By Huang Chiao-wen and Y.L. Kao)Nike Benassi Slide