Two of the leading players at the WTO meeting in Qatar came out in support of Taiwan yesterday, vowing to stand by the nation in its ongoing membership rift with China.
US Under Secretary of International Trade Grant Aldonas and European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy told Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Hsin-yi (林信義) yesterday they would come to the aid of Taiwan if its accession process was in any way hindered.
Aldonas made the comments in closed-door talks yesterday morning with Lin, regarding Taiwan's accession to the WTO and future trade issues between the two countries.
Lin told Aldonas that he was still concerned that Taiwan's accession at the meeting could encounter problems.
Lamy held bilateral talks with Lin in the afternoon and also vowed his support.
Fearing intervention by China in Taiwan's process of accession to the WTO, which is scheduled for Sunday, Lin said yesterday that Taipei has many friends in the trade body and would seek their support in the event of meddling by Beijing.
Vice minister of economic affairs Steve Chen (陳瑞隆), who also attended the meeting, said that Andanas said the "US would aid Taiwan if at the last minute there were special circumstances regarding its accession."
Taiwan has made its own plan if China -- through its allies within the WTO -- attempts to block its accession bid, said a senior Taiwanese trade official who requested anonymity.
"If China attempts to block our accession, we could probably garner the support of the one-third of the WTO's total members which would be needed to block China's own bid," said the official.
Despite the tough talk, WTO officials said it was unlikely that a request by any member to oppose either China or Taiwan's accession would proceed to that point, as it would be strongly opposed by a majority of members.
■Population of host country Qatar, three-quarters of whom are foreigners, mostly from the Indian subcontinent: 600,000
■Qatar's per capita income: US$28,792
■Number of delegates attending the conference: 2,641
■US marines on vessels offshore to offer stand-by security for the meeting: 2,100
■Number of accredited journalists: 808
■Number of representatives from non-governmental organizations: 388
■Size of the largest delegation, hailing from Japan: 159
■Number of WTO members: 142. (China, Taiwan and Vanuatu are expected to be admitted during the conference).
■Number of US delegates: 51
SOURCE: REUTERS
Aldonas also urged Taiwan to make good on the commitments in its accession documents, which were accepted by its WTO working party on Sept. 18.
The US has previously complained that Taiwan has wavered on its promises to open its agriculture sector to imports of US beef, pork and chicken, and of what it calls unfair restrictions in the telecommunications sector.
Aldonas said that as a member, Taiwan could make a significant contribution to a new round of trade talks which ministers hope to launch at this meeting. Lin said that after its entry, Taiwan would work to promote the participation of developing nations in the WTO.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, WTO Director General Mike Moore welcomed both China and Taiwan to the world body.
"This meeting will set the seal on a major historic event, the accession of China and Chinese Taipei into the WTO. Trade is a great unifying force for peace, development and security," he said.
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