Operations Begin at the Taichung Free Trade Zone

       A formal opening ceremony for the Taichung Free Trade Zone was held on Nov. 17. In his congratulatory address at the ceremony, President Chen Shui-bian noted that Taichung Harbor is located at the hub of East Asia, that the harbor has a very large surrounding hinterland, and that, with the additional advantages provided by the free trade zone’s tax incentives as an area “inside the national territory but outside the customs territory” along with simplified customs procedures and joint land, sea, and air shipment, the zone was sure to boom in the near future.

　　According to the Taichung Harbor Bureau, the Taichung Free Trade Zone covers an area of 536 hectares, making it the largest such zone now operating in Taiwan. The nearby Changhua Coastal Industrial Zone, Tanzih and Jhonggang Industrial Zones, and Central Taiwan Science Park, along with Cingcyuangang International Airport and other convenient transportation facilities, make this a vital cargo hub for the central part of the island. The strong supporting capabilities of the area’s manufacturing facilities, coupled with the convenient land, sea, and air joint shipping network made up of the railroad, highways, and international airport, favor the development of the free trade zone as a warehousing, assembly, processing, and logistics center for the automotive and machinery industries, as well as a distribution center for chemical and petroleum products.

　　To take advantage of the business opportunities that will arise with the development of the Taichung Free Trade Zone, four companies—the Coastal Performance International Co., ELITE International Management & Marketing Co., China Container Terminal Corp., and ET Internet Technology —have already applied for and received licenses to operate within the zone. Coastal Performance International will provide fuel oil distribution services, ELITE International will handle automotive logistics, China Container Terminal will engage in the reconsolidation and transshipment of container cargo, and ET Internet Technology will provide grain transshipment. Coastal Performance International alone estimates that its annual operating volume will reach 1.5 million tons and that its production value will top NT$30 billion.

　　Preparations to meet the needs of zone companies have been completed at Wharfs 1-18 and Wharfs West 1-7, providing a total of 258 hectares. Land that is still available for lease totals 185 hectares, and the Taichung Harbor Bureau is currently seeking tenants. For further information, please go online and consult this website: http://www.tchb.gov.tw/businessweb/getbusiness/bhome.htm.

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