Taiwan Expresses Disappointment at Exclusion from Trans-Pacific Trade Pact
Taiwan expressed disappointment that members of the Trans-Pacific trade pact did not set up a working group to consider its membership. This comes after Taiwan applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2021, shortly after China submitted its application. The CPTPP currently has 11 members, with Britain set to join next month.
The Taiwanese government feels that there should not be political considerations at play when it comes to setting up working groups for membership. Despite this, Costa Rica was invited to join a working group at a recent meeting of members, while Taiwan was left out. Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations urged CPTPP members to establish a working group for Taiwan’s membership without political bias.
Taiwan faces diplomatic challenges due to its isolation caused by pressure from China, which sees the island as part of its territory. Taiwan emphasizes that China does not have the right to represent it on a global scale and believes it should be able to engage with international bodies freely.
In discussions about the CPTPP, Taiwan’s application along with China’s has raised questions about representation, given China’s opposition to Taiwan’s application to gain entry. Taiwan and China are both members of the World Trade Organization, but tensions between the two persist when it comes to international agreements like the CPTPP.
The ball is now in the court of CPTPP members to decide how to handle Taiwan’s request for membership, with Taiwan making it clear that political concerns should not play a role in the decision-making process.
