A President's Export Council (PEC) trade mission to Taiwan, Feb. 18-22, focused on opportunities in Taiwan's $303 billion, Six-Year Development Plan. The mission was led by PEC Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Textron Inc., Beverly F. Dolan. This was the PEC's first trade mission in a decade. Thomas J. Duesterberg, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for International Economic Policy, accompanied the 18-member delegation that conveyed an important message to Taiwan leaders: the U.S. government and U.S. firms are interested in doing more business in Taiwan.

The President 's Export Council, the premier national advisory committee on international trade, identified Taiwan as one of the top markets for U.S. firms in the world. In the 1990s, the major engine of growth for Taiwan's economy will be its Six-Year Plan. Of the total $303 billion in expenditures, $234 billion will be spent on major infrastructure projects. foreign firms will likely be able to compete for approximately $45-50 billion in procurement for these projects in such areas as transportation, energy, pollution control, engineering and construction, computer automation, and telecommunications: areas where U.S. industry is highly competitive.

The Administration has worked tirelessly since 1989 to support export activities of U.S. business. The PEC mission, the highest ranking mission to visit Taiwan since 1979, brought a specical letter from Presidnet Bush. In his letter for the PEC mission members, the President lauded the success the United States and Taiwan have had in reducing our trade imbalance and in greatly expanding our economic and commercial ties. "Such economic interdependence demonstrates the vibrant commercial relationship that has been built over the years between our two economies, and this trade mission underscores the fact that we all want this relationship to grow," President Bush stated

President Lee Teng-Hui and Premier Hau Pei-Tsun each warmly received the delegation. President Lee described how the Six-Year Plan will transform Taiwan into an air transportation hub and a regional international financial center. He also told the PEC members he wanted to see an increase in the U.S. share of Taiwan imports. The Minister of Transportation and Communication, Eugene Chien, agreed, "I encourage companies to establish a presence here and use Taiwan as a partner to expand into the Asian market."

The delegation represented the hundreds of U.S. firms that are deeply interested in Taiwan's Six-Year Development Plan. Three members of the President's Export council participated in this mission. PEC Vice Chairman Beverly F. Dolan is also the Chairman of the PEC's Subcommittee on Foreign Market Development. Donald T. "Boysie" Bollinger, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Bollinger Machine Shop and Shipyard, Inc., is the Chairman of the PEC's Subcommittee on Global competitivess and Trade Performance. Donna Fujimoto Cole, President of Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc., a member of the Subcommittee on Global Competitiveness and Trade PErformance, is responsible for industry liaison. The PEC members were accompanied by senior executives from eight U.S. companies able to provide goods and services directly to Taiwan for Development Plan projects. David N. Laux, President of the USA-ROC Economic Council, represented the private foreign trade organization responsible for developing business reltions with Taiwan. Representing the U.S. government were Assistant Secretary Duesterberg; Franklin L. Lavin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for East Asia and the Pacific; Wendy H. Smith, Director of the President's Export Council; and Sylvia Lino Prosak, PEC Staff and Mission Coordinator.

Ministers involved with the Six-Year Plan met with the group, including Minister of Finance Wang Chien-Shien, Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Siew, and Chairman Shirley Kuo of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, which originated the Six-Year Development Plan. The mission also discussed Six-Year Plan projects with Taipei city officials, Kaohsiung Mayor Wu Den-yih, and senior leaders of Taiwan's business community. "There are tremendous opportunities in Taiwan. It's one of the most dynamic economies in the world with a genuine enthusiasm for cooperation with U.S. companies," said mission member Frank T. Callahan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Greiner Engineering, Inc.

The majority of mission events were held in Taipei. One day, however, was devoted to visiting Kaohsiung, the southern port city of Taiwan, for briefings on a proposed deep water port project, a new southern Taiwan international airport, and the $10 billion Kaohsiung rapid transit project.

The PEC mission members were briefed on many other commercial opportunities in the Six-Year Plan, and some new projects and developments were uncovered. Some specific examples include:

Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman Yao-Sheng Chen informed PEC mission members in Taipei of overall CPC plans and presented them with a detailed list of 28 ongoing and future projects budgeted at $7.1 billion for which foreign equipment and engineering service are already being procured. During the mission members visit to CPC's Kaohsiung refinery, CPC high-lighted three new projects: