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- What is Taiwan's international situation?
As a sovereign state, the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a dynamic and constructive member of the international community. As of July 2002, Taiwan had formal diplomatic relations with 27 countries and substantive ties with over 140 countries and territories. Taiwan had the world's 14th largest foreign trade in 2000, is extensively involved in multilateral economic activities, and is willing to share its successful development experience with other countries. Taiwan offers assistance to friendly nations through both the International Cooperation and Development Fund and the International Humanitarian and Relief Fund.
Unfortunately, despite worldwide recognition for Taiwan's democratic and economic accomplishments, the Chinese communist authorities constantly interference with Taiwan's international relations and obstruct its participation in various world organizations and conventions, such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization.
- Why is Taiwan not a member of the United Nations?
In October 1971, the United Nations passed Resolution 2758, giving China's seat in the UN to the People's Republic of China. Although this decision solved the problem of representation for China, it thereby created problems for the Republic of China on Taiwan. Since then, the people of Taiwan have been denied the basic right to participate in deliberations that affect their fundamental social, economic, and security interests.
The Republic of China is a sovereign state with a defined territory, a democratically elected government, a constitution, a flag, a legal system, an organized military, and relations with foreign countries. Furthermore, the ROC government is the sole representative of the 23 million people living in the Taiwan area. Hence, the government and people seek to have representation in the United Nations, and their efforts have received considerable attention and support worldwide. However, as a result of Beijing's interference and obstruction, no specific results have been achieved.
- What is Taiwan's current status in the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
Taiwan first applied for membership in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1990. Due to Beijing's interference, however, the application was filed under the name "the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu." In April 1994, Taiwan began conducting trade negotiations with various GATT members for full membership. On January 1, 1995, GATT was replaced by the WTO. On January 31, one month after this new international trade body was formed, Taiwan was granted WTO observer status. On December 1, 1995, Taiwan applied for WTO membership and began holding negotiations with 26 WTO member states to expedite WTO membership procedures. In January 2002, Taiwan became a WTO member.
- In which regional organizations does Taiwan participate?
Taiwan is a member of such inter-governmental organizations as the Asian Development Bank, the International Cotton Advisory Committee, the Asian Productivity Organization, the Afro-Asian Rural Reconstruction Organization, and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration. Taiwan is also an active participant in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), the Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC), and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC). As of May 2002, Taiwan held memberships in 18 international governmental organizations and 1,060 international non-governmental organizations.
- How does Taiwan develop international relations?
Taiwan has four strategies for expanding its diplomatic ties. The first involves consolidating existing full diplomatic relations with 27 countries. Taiwan reinforces friendly relations with these countries by establishing bilateral cooperative programs in culture, economics, technology, agriculture, and fishing. Second, Taiwan works to upgrade substantive relations with all other countries through economic, trade, and cultural exchanges and cooperation. Third, Taiwan explores all possibilities of establishing formal diplomatic ties with newly independent countries. Last of all, Taiwan seeks participation in such international organizations as the United Nations.
President Chen Shui-bian has emphasized "people's diplomacy," which encourages all Taiwanese to work with people from other countries in transnational or inter-societal networks. It also includes the democratization of foreign policy by bringing the public into the processes of policy input, decision-making, and execution of policies. These new approaches to diplomacy reflect the government's resolution to improve international relations.
- How have Taiwan-US relations developed recently?
Although Taiwan and the United States do not maintain full diplomatic ties, relations between the two have improved in recent years. The Taiwan Relations Act, passed by the US Congress in 1979, is the framework for Taiwan-US relations. This legislation authorizes "commercial, cultural and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan" and requires the sale of defense articles and defense services to allow Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.
In September 1994, bilateral substantive relations were upgraded when Taiwan's representative office in Washington, D.C. changed its name from the Coordination Council for North American Affairs to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office. The US administration also decided to allow higher-level contacts and dialogue between officials of the two countries and to support Taiwan's entry into non-governmental international organizations.
The political links between Taiwan and the US are consolidated through extensive mutual exchanges among legislators, local governments, and political parties. Twenty-one US states have established representative offices in Taipei to promote commercial and cultural ties, and 140 US counties and cities have established sister city relationships with local governments in Taiwan. Taiwan's increasing contacts and exchanges with the US have also expanded to include religious organizations, labor unions, and NGOs.
Bilateral trade between Taiwan and the US in 2000 was US$59.9 billion, making Taiwan the seventh largest importer of US products and its eighth largest trading partner overall. The US was the second largest recipient of Taiwan's investment in 2000, as the Ministry of Economic Affairs approved 801 investment cases to the US worth US$860 million, an increase of 86 percent from the previous year. This brought Taiwan's officially approved accumulated investment in the US to US$5.43 billion.
- What is the status of Taiwan's relations with European countries?
Taiwan maintains international relations with Europe through its embassy to the Holy See; representative offices in the capitals of each of the 15 EU members and in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Norway, Poland and Switzerland; and additional economic and cultural offices in Edinburgh, Geneva, Hamburg, and Munich. In addition to the embassy of the Holy See, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland have established representative offices in Taipei.
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