Taipei, March 5 (CNA) Taiwan will not be marginalized in the exhibition industry because of warmer ties across the Taiwan Strait and the competitiveness of its niche sectors, industry leaders said Friday on the final day of an international seminar.
"Far from a significant risk of marginalization, an interesting development over the past one and a half years is in fact the reverse of that situation, " Paul Woodward, Asia Pacific Regional Manager of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), said on the last day of an annual UFI Open Seminar in Taipei.
Woodward observed that Taiwan is entering "an exciting new era of opportunity" to be able to take advantage of much improved Taiwan-China relations, as flows of people and business activities have increased and many Chinese businessmen are able to visit Taiwan as exhibitors and buyers.
In terms of marginalization, Taiwan will be able to take the matter into its own hands, said Walter Yeh, executive vice president of Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) , Taiwan's international trade promotion organization.
Taiwan should connect with the international business community but walk its own path, he said, based on Taiwan's competitiveness in Asia and around the world in niche sectors such as bicycles, information technology-related products, solar cells, semiconductors and LCD displays.
"We may not be able to be the best hub of the exhibition industry, but we are able to be one of the best hubs and compete shoulder-to-shoulder with cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo and Singapore, " Yeh said.
Taiwan is one of the pioneers of the industry in Asia with 25-30 years of experience, and in 1986 it built one of the finest exhibition venues -- the Taipei World Trade Center -- in the Asia Pacific region at the time, Woodward noted.
With upgraded skills and education of personnel, Taiwan will be able to go up a notch in the exhibition industry, he said.
UFI President Manfred Wutzlhofer observed that in the post-financial crisis era, businesses cannot afford to look at only domestic markets but must also develop international markets for long-term benefit and development.
That's why it's time for Taiwanese businesses to develop "brand products" after enjoying decades of success as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) because brand products create more profit, he said.
A record 220 delegates from 24 countries and regions gathered in Taipei from March 4-5 for UFI's Open Seminar.