Based on this analysis, it is understandable why Japan has shown no interest in signing an FTA with Taiwan. The primary reason is not that Taiwan-Japan relations are not good enough, but instead, it is because Taiwan's tariffs are already fairly low; thus, it is pointless for Japan to include Taiwan among its FTA partners.
The same also applies to South Korea: the failure to establish an FTA between Taiwan and South Korea is not that there are any problems with the two countries' relations. Instead, because of the similar market structure in the two countries, as well as their antagonistic roles in international markets, it is pointless for South Korea to rush into an FTA with Taiwan.
Clearly, it is time for the government to make some adjustments to its FTA strategies so that Taiwan will not be excluded from the international community. The government should take a good hard look at the question of which nations we should, and must, target as potential FTA partners.
Tsai Zheng-jia is an associate research fellow in the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University.
Translated by Lin Ya-ti
RSS