The Taiwan Trade Center (Taitra), in cooperation with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Mexico, hosted a one-day trade expo at the Marquis Reforma Hotel on Thursday, Oct. 15.

A total of 21 Taiwanese companies, representing a wide range of commercial sectors running the gamut from auto parts and computer components to synthetic textiles and high-tech medical equipment, participated in the first-ever Taiwanese commercial expo, meeting with over 200 Mexican counterparts.

"The idea of this show is to try to build bridges of communication between Taiwanese and Mexican businessmen and to help open the door for new trade and investment opportunities," explained the director of Taitra in Mexico, Mario Tsai.

"Taitra's main job is to act as a matchmaker between compatible companies."

TECO director general Chen Hsin-tung pointed out that currently two-way trade between the East Asian nation and Mexico amounts to about $7 billion annually, making Taiwan this country's ninth largest trade partner.

Chen also noted that there are 195 Taiwanese companies with investment holdings in Mexico worth about 165 million dollars.

"Those companies provide jobs for about 20,000 Mexican workers," he added.

But Tsai said that the potential for two-way economic and commercial cooperation is far greater.

"Because of the current global economic slump, we do not expect to see much growth in our bilateral trade this year," he said, "but by 2010, we are hoping for a 10-percent increase in combined two-way trade."

Tsai said that the Mexican and Taiwanese economies are "extremely complementary" and do not compete with one another in very many sectors.

Janus C. D. Sun, president of Sungreat General Supply Company and head of the 28-member delegation that participated in the expo, said his firm has been supplying Mexican auto parts dealers with lights, windshield wipers and other car accessories for more than 18 years.

"Our products are about 30 percent cheaper than their Japanese counterparts, and much more reliable than those produced in China," Sun said.

"Not only do we guarantee quality, but we have a more reliable shipping system, so rather than waiting six months for an order to arrive from Japan, our Mexican customers can have their orders delivered in just one month."

Victor Lee, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office's economic division, later noted that Taiwan is a rapidly becoming a world leader in terms of computer technology and green industries, particularly in solar energy, light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs and high-speed internet services.

Lee also pointed out that while officially China does not recognize Taiwan as an independent country, the two nations are currently moving towards a political rapprochement and are currently working closely together in terms of trade and investment.

He likewise noted that Taiwan is now China's largest investor, with Taiwanese companies representing one-third of the Asian giant's total investment capital.

About 40 percent of Taiwan's total trade is with China, he said, adding that the Wu Den-yih administration is now working towards a free-trade agreement with China which he said should be signed by mid-2010.

Before coming to Mexico, the Taiwan trade expo was presented in Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador.

"This is the first time we have brought the expo to Mexico," said Chen, "but we feel that it is getting a very positive response from the Mexican business community, so we are hoping to make this an annual event."

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