DPP Secretary General Joseph Wu says that Chinese interference in Taiwan’s bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership would not benefit cross-strait relations. Wu was speaking Tuesday at an event held by prominent Washington think tanks.
Alan Romberg, director of the East Asian program at The Stimson Center, asked Wu what the DPP would do if China were to become an obstacle to Taiwan’s TPP ambitions. Wu said that members including the US and Japan have already said they would welcome Taiwan’s participation in the second round of TPP talks.
But Wu said that if China were to convince smaller TPP members to reject Taiwan’s inclusion, it would remind Taiwanese people of the way China has blocked Taiwan’s participation in other organizations. He said that this would not be helpful for the development of peaceful and stable cross-strait relations.
Wu said that the US has welcomed Chinese interest in joining the TPP. He said that if both Mainland China and Taiwan could join the TPP, both sides would benefit, and so would the TPP. Wu said that though the second round of TPP talks have yet to begin, Taiwan should work to sign FTA’s with existing TPP members. He said Taiwan hopes to overcome any interference blocking its accession to the TPP with US assistance.