The Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Tim Fischer said the first shipment of Australian-built motor vehicles to Taiwan is a practical demonstration of the success of Australia's bilateral, regional and World Trade Organisation negotiations.

Mr Fischer said, "the success of this export project represents the gains that can be achieved through trade liberalisation and reinforces the message 1 underlined at the APEC Ministers meeting in Vancouver over the weekend."

"In Taipei, Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd has launched the Australian-manufactured Diamante sedan. The first shipment of 51 vehicles is on its way to Taiwan."

"Mitsubishi intends shipping a total of 400 cars before the end of December and a total of 1,000 to Taiwan over the next 12 months."

The Mitsubishi shipment is the first under new arrangements providing Australia with first time access for 2,000 motor vehicles a year. This was negotiated in 1996 as part of a bilateral WTO trade package. The access will increase to 6,000 cars a year when Taiwan joins the WTO and from then on grow by 10 percent a year.