MNCs Slam Taiwanese Trade Barriers

Officials of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Taiwan aresaid to be planning representations to the US Congress and US trade organizations over what they see as the unfair treatment meted out to foreign drug manufacturers in Taiwan.

The Chinese-language Commercial Times reports that AmCham and the European Council of Commerce and Trade claim that Taiwan's discriminatory actions threaten the country's accession to the World Trade Organization, as they totally contravene WTO requirements for equal treatment among endorsed countries.

Spokesmen for Hoechst in Taiwan are reported by the Times as stating that the terms of the drug subsidies provided under Taiwan's current national health insurance policy are very disappointing, as they are provided per prescribed drug based on its production costs only, and not on the costs involved in its development. The officials are quoted as stating that this situation has led to two foreign drug firms pulling out of Taiwan in the last two years, and warning that more will do so if the situation does not improve.