China's WTO delegation has officially notified Taiwan's WTO representative office in Geneva and the WTO Secretariat Office of its willingness to engage in bilateral negotiations with Taipei over steel imports. This marks the first time that Beijing has openly indicated a willingness to engage in face-to-face negotiations with Taipei under the WTO framework. Even though this is merely a normal exercise of WTO membership rights, it has attracted a great deal of attention.
After the two sides of the Taiwan Strait joined the trade organization, China avoided contact with Taiwan's WTO delegation -- perhaps out of a fear that cross-strait negotiations under the WTO framework would somehow make such talks an international issue. But on May 24, China introduced temporary safeguard actions against 48 categories of steel products, including nine categories of products manufactured by Taiwanese companies.
Beijing refused to pay Taipei the same respect it showed other WTO members affected by its decision. In the notice it sent to Taiwan's WTO delegation, China referred to the office as the "WTO economic and trade office," instead of its proper name "The Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu." The office was quick to indicate that such a title was unacceptable to Taipei.
It is both foolish and unnecessary for China to stoop to such tactics. Everyone knows that Taiwan entered the WTO under a title different from the nation's official name because of unique circumstances. China's refusal to acknowledge Taiwan for what it is cannot change what everyone already knows. Such conduct not only highlights China's rudeness, but may in fact jeopardize the trade negotiations.
This proves Beijing should be blamed for the cross-strait impasse. It called a halt to the negotiations begun by Koo Chen-fu (辜振甫) and Wang Daohan (汪道涵). It is the one that has refused to negotiate on direct links. Not only has China ignored Taiwan's repeated goodwill gestures, but it has stepped up its military threats and verbal assaults against Taiwan. China lied through its teeth when its ambassador to the US declared that the deployment of missiles against Taiwan was done for national security reasons.
While it is true President Jiang Zemin (
One can only hope the new generation of Chinese leaders will come up with some new concepts and new approaches. If the two sides can have positive interactions under the WTO framework, then there may just be some positive development in the cross-strait relationship. But that possibility seems as remote as ever, given that China denies what the international community has acknowledged -- Taiwan is an equal member of the WTO. So why should Taiwan trust any Chinese promises?
China should stop its bully tactics. Otherwise, it will lose a lot more than just the market for steel products.
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