The number-two man in the Chinese embassy in Washington says that, while Taiwan's imminent entry into the WTO will promote greater economic exchanges, Beijing's "one China" principle will continue to dominate cross-strait affairs.
Deputy chief of mission He Yafei (何亞飛) told reporters that yesterday's agreement by the WTO working group on Taiwan on terms for Taiwan's accession to the global trade body will "certainly contribute and provide a better environment, provide greater impetus to both sides to engage in more trade and economic exchanges."
However, he noted in a meeting with the Washington press corps, "the key [to cross-strait relations] is for the Taiwan authorities to take into account the interest of Taiwan people, [and] accept the `one China principle.' That will facilitate not only a resumption of political dialogue, but also a better environment for economic and trade exchanges."
The working group, meeting in Geneva, agreed yesterday to all terms for Taiwan's accession to the WTO. That opens the way for the WTO ministerial session, meeting in Doha, Qatar in November, to formally approve Taiwan's membership. That membership is expected to become final early next year after Taipei formally accepts the membership package.
The action on Taiwan came a day after the working group for China formally approved the Beijing accession package.
The US government hailed Taiwan's impending accession.
"Taiwan's WTO accession will help boost the strength of the Asia-Pacific economies, both now and in the future," said US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.
"Taiwan is an economic powerhouse whose membership in the WTO will benefit the United States, Taiwan, and other members of the multilateral trading system," he said.
He Yafei's press conference came just two days before Chinese Foreign Minister Tan Jiaxuan (唐佳璇) arrives in Washington at the invitation of US Secretary of State Colin Powell for talks aimed at preparing for President George W. Bush's state visit to Beijing in late October.
He declined to say whether President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) decision to ease restrictions on cross-strait contacts would ease the way for the resumption of talks between Taipei and Beijing.
He repeated Beijing's stance that "as long as Taiwan authorities can accept the `one China' principle, dialogue can resume anytime, and anything -- we mean very seriously -- anything can be discussed and negotiated between our two sides."
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique