Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) Opportunities and Impacts for Taiwanese and Malaysian Companies Study undertaken by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) on behalf of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia (TECO)
Analysis approaches taken: 1.GTAP 2.RCA 3.Perception Survey 2
Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) A general equilibrium approach (widely used by trade economists) Used to examine the effects of various regional trade agreements The GTAP database contains wide coverage of 140 countries/regions in the world and 57 sectors Quantitative Assessment on the Likely Economic Effects of Taiwan’s Potential Entry Into the TPPA on Selected Industries in Malaysia 3
Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) cont’d Specifically Examines Impacts on: o Outputs o Imports o Exports *On Selected Malaysian Industries 4
Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) cont’d The GTAP analysis looks for: o Possible positive and/or negative effects on Malaysia’s firms in various goods and services industries Gains to Malaysia’s industries: o Inputs from Taiwanese firms used in the production chain by Malaysian firms Losses to Malaysia’s industries: o Goods and services produced by Taiwan in competition in destination markets 5
Effects on Malaysia’s Overall Economy by Taiwan entering TPPA Malaysia will gain from : – GDP growth – Welfare improvements This is consistent with the survey findings in which the majority of firms interviewed indicated they would benefit from Taiwan entering the TPPA 6
Effects on Malaysia and Taiwan’s Welfare (change in USD millions) 7 Without Taiwan’s Entry With Taiwan’s Entry
Effects on Malaysia and Taiwan’s GDP (change in USD million ) 8 Without Taiwan’s Entry With Taiwan’s Entry
Exports of Electronics Goods Both Malaysia and Taiwan are large exporters of manufactured good (esp. electronics) o Will Taiwan in TPPA pose a threat to Malaysia’s electronics sector? GTAP indicates that Taiwan’s entry strengthens Malaysia’s electronics and electrical industry. o Consistent with survey feedback – e.g. some firms acquire raw materials from Taiwan and do not see Taiwan as a threat or competitor 9
Effects on Financial, Insurance and Business Services GTAP analysis indicates Malaysia’s financial, insurance and business services will expand under the TPPA and only be very slightly negatively impacted by Taiwan’s entry o Survey feedback from Malaysian firms in these industries reported mixed results o Taiwanese firms were more optimistic on this question 10
Effects on Financial, Insurance and Business Services cont’d Further liberalising this sector will expand Malaysia’s service output o Output expansion from increased foreign firms operating in Malaysia GTAP general equilibrium analysis shows potential for financial and insurance industries to be slightly negatively affected by Taiwan’s entry into the TPPA o Other industries are greatly enhanced 11
Effects on the Agriculture Sector GTAP indicates that the agriculture sector will contract with the implementation of the current 12-member TPPA o This is consistent if Taiwan were to enter the TPPA o Survey feedback indicated there is a worry from Taiwanese firms that generous government assistance given to the industry would be affected by joining the TPPA 12
Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) Index Measures a country’s exports of a service relative to its own total exports, and to the corresponding exports of all countries in the world If a country has comparative advantage, their export share in the particular service in question is higher than the world’s average share RCA can examine strengths and weakness in various services provisions on the world platform o Will also show if Taiwan and Malaysia are in direct competition in the world on services exports 13
Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) Index cont’d MalaysiaTaiwan Transport Services No (and Deteriorating) No (but Improving) Travel ServicesYes (and Improving)No (but Improving) Construction Services Yes (in some years) No Insurance and Pension Services No Financial ServicesNo Charges for the use of Intellectual property Services NoYes (in some years) Telecommunication, Computer and Information Services No Other Business Services No (but Improving) 14 Comparative Advantage in Services *Transport – includes sea, air, rail road, internal waterway, pipeline, space transport as well as electricity transmission.
Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) Index cont’d This is a simple analysis not to be taken on its own, but to compliment the GTAP and survey analysis RCA shows that Taiwan’s entry into the TPPA does not pose significant competition towards Malaysia’s services sector o The two economies possess comparative advantage in different service subsectors 15
Policy Recommendations for Consideration 16 Increase awareness, as well as understanding about the TPPA among industry players Policy makers should see Taiwan’s potential entry into TPPA as an overall positive development for Malaysia Further study on detailed industry impact is needed. This will be useful, particularly when more transparent information regarding Malaysia’s negotiations with other TPPA members are available
Conclusions The Positive effects of Taiwan entering the TPPA outweigh the negatives - both on Malaysia’s imports and exports, as well as on Taiwan’s o Malaysia’s overall welfare, GDP, total output levels, exports and imports are expected to increase when Taiwan is added to the TPPA coalition 17 Key Takeaway:
Conclusions cont’d When Taiwan is not part of the TPPA, trade diversion is expected. Malaysia’s services subsectors, particularly: Financial, Insurance and Business Services are expected to expand (in outputs, exports and imports) o For Financial and Insurance Services, the increases in imports are expected to be larger than the rise in its exports o For Business Services, the rise in exports is larger than its increase in imports 18
Taiwan’s entry into TPPA further strengthens Malaysia’s Electronics and Electrical Subsector o Output and exports in this subsector expand significantly with Taiwan’s entry Malaysia’s Agriculture Sector is expected to contract in the current 12-member TPPA o With Taiwan’s entry, the extent of impact is more or less the same Malaysia is expected to rely more on imports from its partner TPPA members, including Taiwan if it were to join the TPPA 19 Conclusions cont’d
20 Thank you For more information please Jordan Heng: or Yap Yee Chern: