Entering WTO Don't worry !
The mission of the WTO is to promote liberal and fair trade through reciprocity, market opening and fair competition among its members. Many studies have shown that a liberal trade framework is conducive to improving economic efficiency and will bring more favorable than negative results. In the case of Taiwan, evaluation reports show that while the import-oriented and less liberalized industries such as the agriculture, automobile and papermaking industries will bear the brunt of Taiwan's accession into the WTO, the export-oriented and highly liberalized industries will enjoy more opportunities. All in all, what does Taiwan's WTO membership bode for the general public in Kaohsiung?
The second largest city in Taiwan, Kaohsiung has a population of about 1.5 million, nearly 600,000 of which make up the labor force. The percentages of workers in agriculture, industry, and service industry are 0.67%, 30.87%, and 68.64%, respectively. This shows that a mere 4,000 people in agriculture will be hard hit by Taiwan's entry into the WTO. The impact on the papermaking and automobile industries are also slight, given that they only make up for only 0.2% and 5.93% of Kaohsiung's annual production value in 1999, respectively. In contrast, the machine, petrochemical, plastics, and information and communication industries-making up 1.47%, 27.6%, 1.39%, and 32.51% of the production value, respectively-will reap the most benefits generated by Taiwan's accession into the WTO. As for the impact on the service industry, studies have shown equivocal conclusions.
By and large, Taiwan's WTO membership will bring about more positive than negative influence on Kaohsiung's industries. For industries hit hard, Taiwan's entry into the WTO may well be a good opportunity for change for the better. The agriculture, for example, may take advantage of Taiwan's advanced agricultural technology and venture to develop the biotechnology and rural tourism. The service industry, which has fast learning abilities, should strive to develop services with more local features. For those less competitive or labor-intensive industries, they should transform themselves into know-how exporters.
To be sure, Taiwan's WTO membership will bring more diversified services and products into Taiwan, benefiting the customers the most. Joining the WTO is the beginning of efficient competition for Taiwan's industries on the international arena. And with excellent geographic advantages, Kaohsiung is well poised to enter a new phase of development.
(The author of this article is an associate professor in the Department of International Trade of I-Shou University.)
經過12年的努力，我國終於在民國91年元月正式成為 WTO 的會員國，此舉不但意味著我國產業將與全球 140 餘國之產業從事競爭，更意味著隨著會員國地位的確定，我國貿易將更趨於自由化及國際化。
WTO的基本精神為透過平等互惠、市場開放、公平競爭進而達到全面自由且公平的貿易。學理探討及實證研究均在在顯示，經過自由化的貿易後會使生產要素的使用更具效率，生產要素價格將會趨於一致，進而提升一國之經濟福利水準。因此，以國家整體而言，入會後的總體評估的確是利大於弊的。然而「興一利必有一弊」，整體評估結果發現，入會後對於開放程度不足或以內銷為主的產業將造成巨大的衝擊，例如農業、汽車與造紙等；對於開放程度充足及以外銷為主的產業而言，加入世貿組織反而帶來更大的揮灑空間，例如機械、石化原料、塑膠、資訊及通訊等。然而對高雄市民而言，入會後對於高雄將會造成什麼樣的影響？
高雄，台灣第二大城市，面積153平方公里，人口149萬餘，勞動人口近60萬，是南台灣地區最重要的工商重鎮。其農業、工業及服務業之就業人口分別為4千、18萬4千及30萬8千餘人，其就業比率各為0.67%、30.87%及68.64%。由此可知，入會後即使農業遭逢重大負面衝擊其影響層面及人數亦屬微小。至於工業及服務業所受的衝擊為何？以民國88年統計資料顯示，高雄全年產值近7千億，其中在入會後將受到較多負面衝擊的造紙業與汽車業，其產值僅佔總產值的0.2%與5.93%；而入會後會帶來正面影響的機械、石化、塑膠及資訊通訊電子產業，其產值分別佔總產值的1.47%、27.6%、1.39%及32.51%，若以上述產業為例，可知入會之後所帶來的正面衝擊是大於負面衝擊的。至於服務業方面其產值占總產值約0.24%，一般研究發現，入會後對於服務業的衝擊，其正、負向較難研判。
綜觀前述可知，入會之後對於高雄地方產業之整體影響是正面的，少數產業因其開放程度不夠或較不具生產效率及優勢受到負面衝擊，入會未嘗不是另一個轉機的開始。以農業為例，在農業生產上雖受制於耕地面積等因素使其居於弱勢地位，但在農業技術上（如培育新種、品種改良等）我國卻有著相當程度的優勢，因此由農業生產轉向生物科技及休閒觀光農業都是未來的走向。在服務業方面，美國與日本是最具優勢的國家，我國在服務業上具有高度的學習能力，因此學習與發展出具本土特色的服務經驗應是服務業將來的新趨勢。至於工業方面，原本已具有競爭優勢的產業如資訊通訊電子業、石化產業等，可藉由入會更進一步開拓市場。對於較不具競爭力或勞力密集產業，可放棄生產行為進而轉行為know-how輸出者。
加入WTO，消費者恐怕是最大贏家，其可藉由市場開放享受到多元且多樣的服務及產品。訊息的充足與完備是消費者在從事消費選擇時殷切期盼的，因此消費訊息的提供勢必更形重要。入會，不但將我國推進國際舞台，更將我國產業推向世界的競技場上，將是效率競爭的開始而不是結束！高雄具有得天獨厚的地理條件與環境，未來將使高雄展現不同之面貌。（本文作者為義守大學國際貿易系副教授）