Taiwan–ASEAN Trade Relations: Trade Structure and Trade in Value Added

Abstract

How has the Taiwan–Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trade evolved without having official diplomatic relations? Using several international commodity classification systems and trade pattern indices, we argue that despite political constraints, Taiwan–ASEAN trade has rapidly expanded with a significant concentration on manufacturing and intermediate goods, embodied with high-technological content. Also, by employing the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) database on trade in value added (TiVA), we assess that Taiwan and ASEAN have become important partners in terms of trade in value addition. Nevertheless, Taiwan is seemingly lagging behind Northeast Asian economies in strengthening linkages with ASEAN over regional production networks and TiVA. This possibly results from the absence of a bilateral preferential trade agreement between Taiwan and ASEAN so far. Given the low possibility of reaching such an agreement in the near future, it is suggested that Taiwan and ASEAN should employ dynamic approaches to reap greater bilateral trade expansion and other economic benefits.