In the decade-long marathon between China and Taiwan to enter the World Trade Organization, the finish line is finally near. However, Taiwan faces one last hurdle -- its WTO accession must take place, if not simultaneously with China's accession, at least immediately thereafter. Otherwise, Taiwan risks wasting a lot of hard work.
This is a risk not to be brushed aside. China has repeatedly shown how far it can and will go to sabotage Taiwan's presence in international organizations.
Unfortunately for Taiwan, with the year-end legislative elections looming, members of the Legislative Yuan are being distracted by campaign activities. Although the current legislative session ends on Nov. 1, there are still several bills to be approved before Taiwan is ready for its WTO accession.
Several lawmakers, including New Party lawmaker Lai Shyh-bao (
As an example of the legislators' inability to fulfill their promises, the KMT and the DPP vowed to stop independent lawmaker and well-known mafia boss Lo Fu-chu (羅福助) from being elected convener of the Finance Committee at the legislature. Lo was elected anyway. That is how much Taiwan's political parties and lawmakers can be trusted.
Currently, the best possible scenario for Taiwan is complete WTO accession on the same day as China. However, that has already been ruled out by WTO. Instead, Taiwan is scheduled to complete the accession on Nov. 11, one day after China.
WTO officials have said the one-day delay won't create a situation in which China interferes with Taiwan's accession. However, Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Hsin-yi (林信義) cautioned on Friday that, once China enters the WTO, it is very likely to mobilize allies to help obstruct Taiwan's accession.
Looking back at China's behavior in the race to enter the WTO, one will see how China has been elbowing and tripping Taiwan at every possible chance. At first, China absolutely opposed Taiwan's accession under any circumstances -- although Taiwan had applied for membership as an "independent customs territory," rather than a sovereign nation. In other words, Taiwan's membership in no way conflicted with the so-called "one China" principle.
Next, China insisted that Taiwan's accession require the "sponsorship" of China. This was because, at the time GATT, the WTO's predecessor, provided for accession through "sponsorship" under certain circumstances. However, virtually all members that acceded this way were newly-independent former colonies. They were able to accede this way because of the sponsorship of their former "mother countries" and by continuing to use tariff schedules negotiated for them previously.
This demand of China's made no sense, as Taiwan had tariff schedules in force at the time. Furthermore, at no time has Taiwan ever been a colony of China.
After the WTO came into being, accession through sponsorship was no longer available, yet China continued to demand that its accession come first. Besides belittling Taiwan's stature, China's only possible explanation for doing this was to sabotage Taiwan's accession once China became a member.
China has the muscle to accomplish this task. For example, China is already a key player in the release of a joint statement by more than 130 developing countries demanding that the WTO give a higher priority to assisting poorer nations.
Time is of critical importance. Taiwan's lawmakers must really work to enable Taiwan's WTO accession in time. Their good performance in this regard will win them many more votes than any campaign rallies or TV ads will be able to.
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