Taiwan is willing and able to join the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement proposed by New Zealand, according to the Cabinet-level Council of Indigenous Peoples.
Initiated during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings held in February 2021, the arrangement focuses on how to strengthen the economic empowerment of indigenous peoples. This is to be achieved by promoting greater trade and economic linkages while raising international awareness of related issues.
CIP Minister Icyang Parod said Taiwan’s letter of intent will be submitted in coordination with the Ministries of Foreign and Economic Affairs. The arrangement is expected to take effect after all four APEC member economies, including Australia and Canada, have followed suit, he added.
The arrangement is the first plurilateral pact involving multiple economies. It is expected to pave the way for cooperation in areas spanning digital trade, e-commerce, responsible business conduct, traditional knowledge and opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises.
According to the CIP, the arrangement reaffirms the commitment of participating economies to international instruments such as the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and will assist in promoting policies aimed at increasing trade and investment.
Indigenous peoples have lived in Taiwan for millenniums. The latest CIP statistics reveal that the population of the country’s 16 officially recognized tribes stands at around 575,067, or 2.4 percent of the total 23.5 million. (YCH-E)
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