Vancouver: Taiwan will continue to seek support from member countries to join a regional trade bloc, despite the group's recent decision not to initiate Taiwan's accession process, a diplomat in charge of the membership bid stated on Tuesday. Lien Yu-ping, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs, expressed regret over the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) members' inability to reach an agreement at last week's summit in Vancouver. According to Focus Taiwan, the summit saw CPTPP members unable to form a working group that would have advanced Taiwan's application. Lien highlighted the geopolitical challenges Taiwan faces in its international participation, implying that China's influence stands as a significant obstacle. Despite these hurdles, Taiwan remains committed to convincing CPTPP members of its compliance with the high standards required for membership, a process initiated on September 22, 2021. D uring a weekly MOFA news briefing, Lien commented on the CPTPP's decision to prioritize Costa Rica's accession process over Taiwan's, despite Costa Rica applying a year later. Inquiries about the status of applications from Taiwan and China, both predating Costa Rica's, were addressed by Canada's Trade Minister Mary Ng. She reiterated Canada's unchanged One-China policy and the necessity of consensus among CPTPP partners for any new membership. Politico reported that while Taiwan meets the trade standards for CPTPP membership, political considerations involving China have delayed its application. Beijing's opposition to Taiwan's accession, viewing it as part of its territory, has raised concerns among Taiwanese officials that China's successful bid could jeopardize Taiwan's prospects. Lien pointed out the silver lining in the CPTPP's decision to consider Costa Rica first: China's application was not prioritized despite being earlier. She emphasized Taiwan's long-standing efforts to persuade CPTPP members to evaluate aspirants based on compliance with the "Auckland principles," which include meeting high trade standards and securing a consensus among all members. Lien argued that China does not qualify based on these principles due to its history of economic coercion. Acknowledging that it might take another year for the CPTPP to revisit Taiwan's application, Lien affirmed Taiwan's determination to prove its suitability for the trade bloc. The CPTPP is one of the largest trade blocs globally, accounting for about 15 percent of the global economy, with 11 current members and the United Kingdom set to join soon. Canada will chair the CPTPP Commission in 2024, followed by Australia.
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