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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Economy & Trade

Taiwan's trade office becomes permanent after former deputy's bullying scandal

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Taiwan's Office of Trade Negotiations has been formally established as a permanent task force, a move prompted by the death of a former deputy negotiator and allegations of workplace bullying.
  • The office, previously a temporary task force under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, will now report directly to the Executive Yuan with its own budget and staffing.
  • The restructuring aims to enhance Taiwan's effectiveness in international trade negotiations and cultivate negotiation talent.

Taiwan's Executive Yuan has officially transformed its Office of Trade Negotiations into a permanent task force, a significant restructuring that follows the recent death of former deputy chief negotiator Yen Hui-hsin and allegations of workplace bullying against her by chief negotiator Jenny Yang.

The move, announced on August 28, aims to bolster Taiwan's capacity in international trade discussions. The office, initially established in 2006 under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, had operated as a temporary task force. While elevated to report directly to the Executive Yuan under the current administration, it lacked a formal legal basis and relied on budgets and personnel from other ministries.

In recent years, the need for new international trade situations has made it necessary to adjust the external trade negotiation organization, improve the effectiveness of our country's participation in international trade negotiations, strive for our country's maximum economic interests, and cultivate economic negotiation talents.

— Executive YuanStatement explaining the rationale behind the restructuring of the Office of Trade Negotiations.

The newly established permanent task force will have a dedicated budget allocated by the Executive Yuan's main budget, a departure from the previous system where funds were managed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The office plans to gradually expand its staff from the current six to 18 by next year, with the potential to reach up to 60 members by borrowing personnel from other government agencies for large-scale negotiations.

This reform seeks to improve Taiwan's participation in multilateral and bilateral trade talks, secure the nation's economic interests, and develop skilled trade negotiators. The government also aims to leverage trade negotiations and international cooperation to modernize economic laws and strengthen the economy.

The biggest difference from the past is that the previous budget was allocated to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and now it is allocated by the Executive Yuan's main budget.

— OfficialExplaining the budgetary changes associated with the office's new permanent status.
About this summary

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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