【Reported by Jin-yu Cai, Tamkang Times】Due to the related issues discussed by the Trans-pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, the Department of Industrial Economics held two forums on November 4th titled, “TKU’s Industrial Economic Forum” and “Global Trade and the Development of Taiwan.” The forums were hosted by Director of the Department of Industrial Economics, Jun-hong Lin, and 5 specialists and researchers were invited to speak to a crowd of 40 teachers and students.

During the forum, Dean of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, Ming-hsin Kung, pointed out, “Taiwan is too reliant on outside trade and needs to have more internal development, which would bring more financial stability and skills. This is the only way to deal with trade issues in a globalized manner.” He followed by mentioning that Taiwan had to also be more innovative in its investments. TKU’s Professor of the Department of Industrial Economics, Song-ken Hsu, stated, “Taiwan’s industrial economic trade system has taken a turn for the worst in recent years as there is a slow and steady decline for the need of Taiwanese products.”

Professor of National Central University’s Department of Economics, Jiunn-Rong Chiou, stated, “Along with many of the benefits in the economy brought through global development came a new set of challenges that we must confront.”