President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) envoy to the APEC forum, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀), is seeking support from other member countries for Taiwan’s bid to join the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
On Friday, during the online APEC economic leaders’ summit hosted by New Zealand, Chang said that economic integration has helped the region forge closer economic and trade ties.
He said in a speech that he has faith in supporting initiatives that deepen economic integration, promote high standards on trade-related rules and help improve the livelihoods of people across the Asia-Pacific region.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
“Because of these beliefs, we have applied to join the CPTPP, a comprehensive agreement that could generate momentum for the development of the region — liberalizing trade and investment, while promoting sustainable growth,” he said.
“Chinese Taipei plays an irreplaceable role in the global high-tech supply chain. We also have a highly transparent market economy, and are able and willing to respect the CPTPP’s high standards,” he added.
Taiwan applied to join the CPTPP in September, just days after China filed its application. It applied under the name “the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.”
Chang spoke about Taiwan’s willingness to join the CPTPP after Tsai told him to use the occasion to seek support from APEC members.
In a news conference in Taipei yesterday, Chang said the Chinese representatives to the summit did not offer an olive branch to Taiwan.
Taiwan is well-positioned to join the CPTPP, but it could face some hurdles, Chang said, adding that he had faith that Taiwan still has a good chance of securing admission to the trade bloc.
US President Joe Biden did not comment on Taiwan’s bid to join the CPTPP, he said.
In his speech to the APEC summit, Chang touted free trade as being crucial to meeting national security needs.
“While shortage of any critical component is a serious problem, free market, which includes free trade and free competition, is still the best solution,” Chang said.
However, free trade seems to carry more conditions and qualifications than it used to, Chang said.
“We believe most of those conditions and qualifications are counter-productive,” he said.
He described the current semiconductor shortage as “a culmination of original underestimate of demand, natural disaster, logistic jam and digital demand spike.”
Chang added that Taiwan has been willing to share its experience in containing COVID-19 with other APEC members.
Taiwan joined APEC as a full member under the name Chinese Taipei in 1991. It is the fifth time that Chang has attended an APEC forum as Tsai’s envoy.
Although Taiwan is an APEC member, its presidents are prohibited from attending the summit due to China’s opposition, so an envoy is sent in their place.
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