A legislative delegation that visited three ASEAN members said yesterday it had received positive feedback about the possibility of Taiwan participating in the group.
Vice Legislative Speaker Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權), who led the delegation to Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, told a press conference in Taipei that the delegation had urged members of the three nations’ parliaments to influence their governments’ attitude toward Taiwan’s entry to ASEAN.
Tseng said Sanoh Thienthong, leader of Thailand’s Royalist People’s Party, and Indonesian parliament member Theo Sambuaga both promised full support for Taiwan’s bid to join the organization.
“The integration of ASEAN will begin in 2010, with China joining the organization that year. After China’s participation, about 7,000 products will be able to enjoy duty-free treatment within ASEAN member states,” he said.
“Japan and South Korea will also join the organization after China. The Republic of China ... which is closely connected with all the member states of ASEAN in terms of trade and economy, should not be excluded from the organization,” he said.
Trade between Taiwan and ASEAN between 1959 and March this year totaled US$60 billion, he said.
Tseng said it was important for the government to focus on participation in ASEAN because other nations had responded positively to Taiwan’s efforts to improve cross-strait relations and Taiwan’s contribution to ensure regional and global stability.
The eight-member delegation began their trip in Vietnam last Friday.
A delegation of Vietnamese parliamentarians told Tseng that they hoped Taiwan and Vietnam could enhance mutual exchanges.
The delegation traveled to Bangkok on Sunday, where they met Sanoh Thienthong and other members of the Thai parliament.
On Tuesday the group flew to Jakarta, where they held talks with Indonesian lawmakers before returning home yesterday.
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