The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Republic of China (ROC) and Panama is still effective as no notification of termination has been received, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said.
The ministry made the statement on Wednesday in response to a report on Chinese-language online news platform Up Media on Tuesday quoting Panamanian Minister of the Presidency Alvaro Aleman as saying the FTA has become invalid.
The two nations severed official ties in June last year after more than a century of diplomatic relations.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Taiwan assumed that its FTA with Panama would remain in force until the two sides reach a new consensus on bilateral trade relations or strike a new deal.
Taiwan adheres to treaties and fulfills its international obligations in accordance with international law, ministry spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) said.
According to the basic principles of international law, unless the existence of diplomatic relations is necessary for the enforcement of a treaty, the severance of diplomatic relations by the parties involved does not affect the validity of the treaty, Lee said.
Moreover, the accord in question includes a “termination” article, which states that termination of the agreement shall enter into force 180 days after notification to the other party, Lee said.
As the government has yet to receive an official notification from Panama to end the agreement, it is believed that the FTA is still effective, he added.
Asked if the rights of Taiwanese businesses would be affected should Panama decide to abort the agreement, Lee said that further verification would be conducted and international law would be followed to safeguard the legal rights of Taiwanese.
Minister Without Portfolio John Deng (鄧振中), the nation’s top trade negotiator, agreed, saying that Panama has “never notified us” about terminating the agreement.
Taiwan imports a significant amount of shrimp from Panama,while Taiwan sells many goods to Panama, Deng said, adding that, as of now, there have been no reports of the rights of Taiwanese businesspeople being affected.
“Everything is OK,” Deng added.
Bilateral trade between Taiwan and Panama in the first two months of this year totaled US$25.6 million, with Taiwan exporting US$20.4 million in goods to Panama, while importing US$5.2 million worth of products from Panama, data from the Bureau of Trade Web site showed.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS