Taiwan has sent an application to join the global trading group known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Premier Su Tseng-chang said on Thursday.
According to the Cabinet, Taiwan Government’s executive branch, the application was filed late Wednesday in New Zealand.
Su said that Taiwan, a free economic entity, has been preparing for the participation of CPTPP, whose member states were Taiwan’s important trading partners.
“We’ve tried to communicate with some member-states and made extensive efforts on preparation,’’ Su said.
Taiwan lacked diplomatic relations with some CPTPP members but had close ties with some nations, such as Japan.
Taiwan has signed free-trade agreements with two members, New Zealand and Singapore.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has vowed to redouble efforts to participate in bilateral, multilateral and regional economic agreements, including CPTPP.
Taiwan’s move was conducted days after China filed an application to seek CPTPP membership.
Minister without Portfolio John Deng told a news conference on Thursday that Taiwan’s participation might be risky if China acquired CPTPP membership first.
Deng urged the group to focus on a fact that there was a complete market in Taiwan, which is a democratic country with rule of law, during the evaluation.
Taiwan, a self-governing democracy of 23.5 million people, has been barred from joining most international organisations due to China’s objection.
Beijing considers the self-governing democracy part of its territory.
