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Top trade negotiator urges lifting vaccine barriers
Courtesy of ICRT
Taiwan's top trade negotiator is calling for the elimination of trade restrictions to speed up the flow of coronavirus vaccines.
John Deng made the call during a virtual meeting of APEC trade ministers this past weekend.
According to Deng, the outbreak has seriously affected the normal functioning of society, and barriers to the trade of vaccines should be eliminated.
Officials say there was widespread agreement among delegates for such a move and the issue was also at the centre of a joint statement issued by the ministers after the meeting.
That statement calls for eliminating trade restrictions that increase the cost of vaccines, setting guidelines for Customs authorities to process vaccine shipments quickly, and advocating for removing barriers to freight and logistics services.
Deng also urged APEC members to take advantage of new technology and digital tools to speed up e-commerce development and establish data management mechanisms during the meeting.
