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China seeking to limit Taiwan's role in OECD

"The OECD's main member states are not pleased with China's unreasonable demands. They feel that Taiwan's continued participation in the OECD serves the interests of its members and the organization."

Phoebe Yeh, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman

China is making moves to block Taiwan's participation in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the nation's representative to the US, Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), said on Wednesday, but the Paris-based organization will most likely reject Beijing's demands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

The Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times' sister paper) said yesterday that Wu told Taiwanese reporters China would propose the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) -- similar to the one it signed with the WHO in May 2005 -- to restrict Taiwan's participation in the 30-member body.

China proposed seven conditions in the MOU -- that Taiwan cannot become a full-fledged OECD member, Taiwan cannot become a member of any auxiliary committee or organizations under the OECD umbrella, no Taiwanese nationals are allowed to occupy an OECD position, the OECD will not convene any events in Taiwan, the OECD will not cosponsor any events with Taiwan, high-ranking OECD officials are barred from visiting Taiwan and no Taiwanese officials are permitted to visit the organization -- Wu was quoting as saying in the report.

This clearly shows Beijing is paying mere lip service to its professions of good intentions, Wu said.

China "speaks of goodwill, but does malignant deeds," he said.

China currently participates in the OECD as a non-member economy, while Taiwan uses the name "Chinese Taipei" in the organization and maintains an observer status at the Competition Committee, Fisheries Committee and Steel Committee.

Ministry spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh (葉非比) said yesterday that the OECD had on many occasions touted Taiwan's contributions in the organization and that many member states had said they would not acquiesce to Beijing's demands.

"The OECD's main member states are not pleased with China's unreasonable demands. They feel that Taiwan's continued participation in the OECD serves the interests of its members and the organization," she said.

In related news, Wu told reporters he had decided not to attend a dinner and forum sponsored by the Atlanta-based Southern Center for International Studies because of Beijing's interference.

The forum, to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, was originally going to feature Wu, along with five former US secretaries of state -- Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Warren Christopher, Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell.

Wu said that the five former US officials, in a joint letter last week, said that because of Beijing's concerns, they would not be able to appear in the same venue as Wu and asked to be excused from the forum if Wu was present.

Wu said under the circumstances, he decided to turn down the center's invitation.
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