Leaders of pro-Taiwanese independence groups yesterday urged the government to use the name “Taiwan” when joining international trade bodies.
They said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was taking the nation backward by last month applying to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) under the name “the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu,” which it also used to join the WTO in 2001.
“As a Taiwanese who has endeavored to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty and dignity, I very much wish to have President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) turn down the old customs territory title for a renewed effort to use ‘Taiwan’ for applying to join the CPTPP,” former minister of national defense Michael Tsai (蔡明憲) told a news conference in Taipei.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Yen Ching-Chang (顏慶章), former minister of finance and former ambassador to the WTO, said that using the customs territory title would be “like putting a restraining collar around our own neck.”
“Taiwan would not be able to escape the shackles of being considered a non-sovereign entity and would not be regarded as an equal member of international organizations,” he said.
Taiwan Jury Association founder Jerry Cheng (鄭文龍) agreed, calling the use of the customs title a “regression” and “absurd.”
“Since our government has proclaimed we are an independent, sovereign country, not subordinate to other nations, we must uphold our national sovereignty to participate in the CPTPP,” Cheng said. “It is disappointing that the ministry chose to apply with the customs territory title.”
Former Taiwan Solidarity Union legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安) said that it was a different political atmosphere compared with 20 years ago when Taiwan joined the WTO.
“Right now, we have many countries, backed by their people and their governments, openly calling for supporting Taiwan. It makes absolutely no sense that our own government is afraid of using ‘Taiwan’ to join the CPTPP,” she said.
“In using the customs territory title, rather than Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen has reneged on her ‘four musts’ and is in contrary to the prevailing wills of Taiwanese people,” she said, referring to Tsai Ing-wen’s Oct. 10 Double Ten National Day address.
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