Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

HK working to block Taiwan in WTO: US report

Taipei Times

The logo of the WTO on its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, is pictured on June 2, 2020.
Photo: Reuters

The Hong Kong government has been working with China to block Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WTO, the US Department of State said in a report published on Thursday.

Even as the Chinese government took new measures to erode democracy in Hong Kong, representatives of the territory acted on behalf of Beijing to advance its objectives in the international arena, the report said.

US lawmakers call to include Taiwan in IPEF

Taipei Times

Taiwan and US flags are pictured on a table for a meeting between then-US representative Ed Royce and then-legislative speaker Su Jia-chyuan in Taipei on March 27, 2018.
Photo: Tyrone Siu, Reuters

Two hundred US lawmakers in a letter on Wednesday called for Taiwan’s participation in the planned Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), touting the nation’s economic importance and the signal of support it would send to counter Chinese intimidation.

The letter, drafted by the four cochairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus and addressed to US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai (戴琪), said that Taiwan should be “at the front of the line” to join the framework.

India-Taiwan ties need more focus

Sana Hashmi 胡莎娜

India-Taiwan relations hold immense potential, but still suffer from a lack of consistent attention. From both sides, there is an acknowledgement of merit in engaging each other, but a sustained focus is missing.

Taiwan began to recalibrate its India policy in 2020-2021, and it did pay off. From the use of social media to Taiwan providing aid to India during the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan began to engage India meaningfully, and this was very-well reciprocated by Indians. That Taiwan is viewed favorably among Indians is not an overstatement.

Even though India comes across as a little cautious in dealing with Taiwan, there have been significant developments on its side. Steps taken by India to further institutionalize the relations are substantial yet underappreciated.

Time to push for defense upgrade

Taipei Times Editorial

National Security Bureau Director-General Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) has made two public appearances over the past week to answer questions from lawmakers, mostly about the Russia-Ukraine war and its implications for Taiwan.

During a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee on Monday, Chen said he believed the US would be “more deeply involved” in a war across the Taiwan Strait than in Ukraine, due to its commitments to Taipei under the US’ Taiwan Relations Act (TRA).

“The current situation [in Ukraine] has given China much to think about, as the US has given much support to Ukraine, even without a law similar to the TRA,” he said.

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