Economics Minister John Deng says that Belgium has apologized to a Taiwanese delegation that was removed from a high-level meeting in Brussels. Deng was speaking at the Legislature on Wednesday.
On Monday, a Taiwanese delegation was barred from attending an afternoon session of a meeting on steel held by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Deng told lawmakers that the meeting was principally concerned with China’s dumping of excess steel.
Though Taiwan is not an OECD member, it has been invited as an observer to attend the high-level symposium on the steel sector co-sponsored by Belgium and the OECD since 2005. Deng said that Taiwan is classed as a “participant” at this symposium. However, a Chinese delegation also at the meeting was only accorded the status of “invitees”.
The Taiwanese delegation had participated in the morning session on the first day of the symposium. But the delegation was barred from the afternoon meeting because of Chinese complaints that Taipei had not sent representatives of suitable rank.
Deng said that the delegates come from the Industrial Development Bureau, which has a strong influence on the direction of Taiwan’s steel policy. He said the delegates from the bureau were of comparable rank to the delegates sent by other countries.
According to Deng, China currently faces over 100 accusations of dumping from around the world. Deng said his ministry believes Taiwan was forced out of the meeting because China was unwilling to allow Taiwanese delegates to attend a meeting where its steel policy was being called into question.
Deng said that Taiwan is a responsible trade partner. He said the Belgian apology Taiwan’s delegates later received shows that the decision to bar them was inappropriate. Deng said he hopes that similar incidents will not happen in the future.