Overall, two-way trade in 2014 rose 7.2% after the agreement was signed, pushing Taiwan ahead of Singapore and Malaysia to become New Zealand's seventh largest export market, Dean Prebble, director of the New Zealand Trade Development Centre in Taipei, told CNA in an interview.

Trade value also went up after the signing of the agreement between Taiwan and New Zealand, and the separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu on Economic Cooperation (ANZTEC).

From December 2013 to January 2015, two-way trade reached USD $1.7 billion, up 9.3% from the same period a year ago.

New Zealand's exports to Taiwan were up 16.9%, at USD $984 million.

Prebble said many of his country's exporters told him their products reached Taiwan faster and that trade increased because tariffs were lowered under the agreement.

The trade deal has proved to be more in New Zealand's favor.

From December 2013, when the agreement took effect, to January 2015, Taiwanese exports to New Zealand edged up only by 0.45% to reach USD $739 million.

Despite the meager boost the agreement gave to Taiwan's exports to New Zealand, Ministry of Economic Affairs officials said that the pact is the first free trade deal Taiwan has signed with a member state of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which would help Taiwan's bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other regional free trade deals.

In terms of products, imports of New Zealand apples tripled in 2014, the biggest increase among produce imports from the country after the free trade deal with Taiwan came into effect.

Source: wantchinatimes.com