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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan announced Thursday it’s applied to hitch an 11-nation Pacific trade group, fixing a possible clash with rival Beijing over the status of the island democracy.
The Chinese government, which claims Taiwan as a part of its territory, gave no details of how it’d respond but said the island has no right to hitch international bodies.
Taiwan Cabinet minister said the island’s application to hitch the great and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership could be disrupted if China, which applied last week, is admitted first.
The CPTPP, which took effect in 2018, includes agreements on market access, movement of labor and government procurement. Other members include Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and New Zealand.
“China has been obstructing Taiwan’s opportunities within the international arena,” said John Deng, a minister without portfolio, at a press conference . “If China joins before Taiwan, it’ll endanger Taiwan’s application.”
The CPTPP was the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a gaggle promoted by then-President Barack Obama. His successor, Donald Trump, pulled call at 2017. President Joe Biden has not rejoined.
China and Taiwan are ruled separately since the Communist Party took control of the mainland in 1949 following a war . they need extensive trade and investment ties but no official relations.
“The Taiwan region is an inalienable a part of China,” said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian. “We are firmly against any official contacts between Taiwan and other countries, also as Taiwan’s accession to any agreements or organizations that are of a politician nature.”
Deng said Taiwan’s status as a democracy and free enterprise should count in its favor.
“Taiwan and China follow different systems of organization. We are an integrated free enterprise ,” he said. “We have democracy and therefore the rule of law backing us. Our laws are transparent to all or any .”
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