Taiwan urged members of the World Trade Organization to note relevancy to the current situation while joining with over 50 other members to support Ukraine, according to the Minister without Portfolio Deng Chen-chung June 12.
Deng, who represents Taiwan at the WTO ministerial conference held June 12-15 in Geneva, said the country is a strong supporter of the rules-based multilateral trading system. However, the system, including its dispute settlement mechanism, needs reform to address restrictions and he cited as examples recent import bans on Taiwan’s pineapples, sugar apples, wax apples and groupers.
According to Deng, the WTO should allow a plurilateral approach and revitalize its negotiation function to increase relevance to changing economies, the environment and technologies. Mega free trade agreements and economic cooperation are rapidly emerging, he said, adding that Taiwan has applied to join one such FTA, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Deng said all members should take a lesson from COVID-19 and be prepared for future pandemics. He also took the example of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to urge the WTO to be better prepared to avert humanitarian crises by maintaining food supply chains to save both lives and livelihoods.
Taiwan joined the world body’s joint member statement expressing support for Ukraine’s access to trade and warning of the ongoing impact on global food security.
Released on the first day of the conference, the statement said the destruction of Ukraine’s transport infrastructure substantially impedes its ability to produce, export and import key commodities. The impact of war jeopardizes food supply to parts of the world, pushing millions of people into food insecurity, it added.
According to the statement, the signatories will seek to support Ukraine and to facilitate its exports. WTO members are encouraged to do this via the use of infrastructure or simplifying customs procedures, it said.
The Ministerial Conference, the top decision-making body of the WTO, is staged biennially. Taiwan, which joined the global trade body in 2002, participated in this year’s 12th edition alongside representatives from 164 WTO members. (YCH-E)
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