
Since its establishment in 2003, the Taiwan
WTO&RTA Center has actively worked to assist the government in its
participation in the Doha Negotiations, and to establish the necessary
“hardware” and “software” facilities required for research. The Taiwan
WTO&RTA Center has undertaken the systematic analysis and collation of
basic data related to WTO and RTA issues. By building on existing foundations,
the Center has continued to prepare a wide range of supporting materials for
the reference of government agencies. The Center has also invited outside
researchers to participate in specific research projects. In this way, the
Center is able to provide up-to-date information on WTO and RTA issues, and
also to provide consulting services with respect to the latest developments.
Since its establishment in 2004, the Department of
Public Relations and WTO Training has hosted or co-hosted more than 20 training
programs related to the WTO and RTA issues each year. These activities included
international conferences and seminars
at the regional or national level. Academic exchange activities have been
arranged by involving leading overseas scholars and international think tanks.
The Center has been able to provide ongoing support for various government
agencies, thereby helping them to cultivate the human resources they need for
WTO and RTA activities. The Center has also contributed to the enhancement of
the overall level of capabilities for participation in international trade by
trade unions and individuals in all sectors. By cooperating with local
universities, the Center has also helped to cultivate the manpower for
international trade, thereby strengthening the foundations for Taiwan’s
becoming conversant with WTO procedures.
The Taiwan WTO&RTA Center established its own
in-house library in September 2003. This was followed in December 2003 by the
establishment of a website on the WTO, and the release of the Center’s first
WTO e-paper. Besides an overview of WTO organization and activities, the website
also covers WTO agreements, the latest developments in key WTO and RTA issues,
WTO and RTA-related research, conference records and submissions by individual
Members in WTO negotiations. The information collated by the Center has been
integrated to form a WTO databank, so that the website provides effective
decision-making support. The website has already become an important resource
for international trade research and for individuals and organizations in all
sectors to access WTO and RTA-related news and information.
In addition to collecting information and materials
related to the WTO and RTA issues, the Taiwan WTO&RTA Center Library has
also been actively acquiring trade-related books, periodicals and other materials.
The Library currently houses a collection of over 6,000 volumes of WTO and
international trade-related books, around 150,000 copies of WTO documents, 60
journals, and 20 e-databanks..
The Taiwan WTO&RTA Center releases a weekly
e-paper that covers the latest developments in WTO and RTA affairs, as well as
occasional e-forums and special editions focusing on hot issues. These e-papers
have already become an important source of WTO and RTA-related information for
individuals and organizations of all sectors, as well as providing a platform
for exchange and interaction. The Center’s weekly e-paper currently has more
than 15,000 subscribers, a figure which reflects the gradual increase of public
interest on WTO and RTA affairs.