Taiwan on Saturday welcomed the approval of China's entry into the WTO and clearly spelled out that it was expecting to be treated as an equal by Beijing under the framework of the trade body.
"Taiwan has for a long time looked positively upon China's entry to the WTO," said Lin Hsin-yi (
Lin also clearly stated that Taiwan expected to be treated as an equal by China in terms of its status as a member of the WTO, despite the fact it will be known as the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. "Under the WTO framework and on the basis of equality, both sides of the Strait can interact with the other 142 members in WTO events and abide by the rules of the international trade system," Lin said.
But Lin was non-committal on exactly how entry into the WTO may influence cross-strait interaction. "Entry into the WTO will have a certain impact on cross-strait trade and investment ties. The government will act in line with WTO rules to promote the consensus reached on cross-strait ties at EDAC," Lin said.
The consensus of that conference was a scrapping of the "no haste, be patient" policy of limiting investment in China and a somewhat more vague proposal to gradually ease the ban on direct trade and transport links.
"Under the principle of ensuring our national security and respect, the new cross-strait trade relationship will offer the greatest benefits."
US officials at the meeting were hopeful that entry into the WTO would help facilitate greater integration and contact across the Taiwan Strait.
Assistant US Trade Representative Jeffrey Bader said that both could use the WTO's framework to meet and discuss trade issues.
"Having an institution where both are members on an equal footing and equal basis provides opportunities for them to meet and discuss issues authoritatively without having to go through the difficult dance that they go through whenever they are hoping to get together bilaterally," Bader said.
However, using such a channel will require officials on both sides to shelve political differences.
"It creates a means. Politics will determine whether that means is used or not," Bader said.
The political will to talk without preconditions has been the largest stumbling block to brokering better ties, which have been clouded by more than half a century of mistrust.
Indeed, Lin's remarks came only hours after he had huddled with senior US and EU officials and diplomatic allies from Latin America in the WTO to muster support in the event China tried to impede Taiwan's accession.
That fear was strong enough -- both in Taipei and Geneva -- for the WTO secretariat to virtually muzzle China, not permitting it to sign its accession documents until Taiwan's accession package was adopted.
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