Taiwan, mainland car assocs aim to remove tariff

Shanghai, June 30 (Gasgoo.com) Car manufacturing associations in China's mainland and Taiwan have reached a preliminary agreement to remove tariffs on small passenger cars under the planned cross-Strait trade pact, an official from the Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers Association said last week, Dow Jones reported.

"We hope to reduce tariff rates to zero ... and that governments on both sides can include this in their future discussions" under the planned Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), said the official, who declined to be named.

The official, who is from the association's business affairs section, said the agreement was reached in Beijing after talks between Kuo-Rong Chen, chairman of the Taiwan association, and Dong Yang, vice chairman of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Carmakers based in mainland China are exciting to set foot in Taiwan, which is a virgin market they have not found access to until the authorities across the Taiwan Strait improved partnership.

Geely Auto will cooperate with Taiwan-grown Yulon Motor to launch its mini sedan model Panda in Taiwan via CKD exports and local production. Chery Auto plans to assemble CKD for sale in Taiwan, with the Chery A3 to debut the island first.

Beiqi Foton Motor has recently secured an order from a bus company of Taiwan for 75 Euro V hybrid passenger buses. It is the first time for a mainland automaker to sell new-energy vehicles to the Taiwan market.