Foreign Minister David Lin says that Taiwan hopes to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), but on the condition that the country receives dignified treatment.
The AIIB is a Chinese-proposed multilateral fund with about US$50 billion in capital. As of March 22, 36 members have signed up, including France, Germany, the UK, and Italy.
Taiwan is also considering joining the AIIB. However, the government has said that Taiwan will face issues of designation because China regards Taiwan as part of its territory, even though the two sides have been ruled separately for more than 60 years.
Speaking to the media on Friday, the foreign minister said Taiwan will insist on a respectful treatment.
"We’re expressing our intention to participate, but we won’t accept any degrading arrangements. How we’re going to participate, in what capacity, how we’ll be treated and called, we’ll deal with these issues through negotiation," said Lin.