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Respect Taiwan's WTO status, MAC tells Beijing

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official urged China yesterday to respect Taiwan's rights in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and start normalized interaction with Taiwan under the organization's framework.

The official made the remarks after China finally accepted the official name of Taiwan's permanent mission to the WTO, three years after the nation became a member of the global trade body.

In a diplomatic note sent by the Chinese delegation to the mission Wednesday, the Chinese side used the full designation of "Permanent Mission of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu to the World Trade Organization" for the fist time to address the mission.

However, Beijing still insists that the diplomatic titles used by Taiwan to refer to its mission members should be omitted, on the grounds that the use of the titles "is a mistake that clearly defies the understanding stated in a joint declaration made by the chairman of the WTO's General Council in 1992 to deal with Taiwan's entry into the organization."

In response, MOFA spokesman Michel Lu (呂慶龍) pointed out that Taiwan shares equal rights and dignity with other WTO members since it joined the organization in 2002 as its 144th member.

As a major trading country, China should abide by international norms and respect the rights that Taiwan is entitled to in the WTO, Lu said. He also said the ministry hopes China will start normalized interaction with Taiwan under the WTO framework.
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