China claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. He refuses to recognize the island’s government and increasingly seeks to isolate President Tsai Ing-wen’s independence administration.
Taiwan announced Sept. 23 that it had applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a week after China submitted its own membership application.
The 11-nation CPTPP, which entered into force in 2018, includes agreements on market access, labor movement and government procurement. The other members are Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Singapore and New Zealand. The United Kingdom also began to negotiate membership after leaving the European Union.
The CPTPP was originally called the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a group promoted by then-President Barack Obama. His successor, Donald Trump, stepped down in 2017. President Joe Biden did not join him.
China and Taiwan separated after the Communist Party took control of the mainland in 1949 amid a civil war. They have extensive trade and investment ties, but no official relations, and China is using increasingly threatening language towards the island while exerting military, diplomatic and economic pressure against it.
Zhu’s comments follow earlier remarks by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian that China was “firmly opposed to any official contact between Taiwan and other countries, as well as joining of Taiwan to any agreement or organization of an official nature”.
The Taiwanese government expected China to seek to block its membership. He says his status as a democracy and a market economy should work in his favour.
“Taiwan and China follow different systems of organization. We are an integrated market economy,” John Deng, a minister without portfolio, told a news conference following last week’s announcement. .
Taiwan has applied to join the CPTPP as the “Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu”. This is the name he used to join the World Trade Organization in 2002.
As it has grown in economic and political clout, China has adopted an increasingly rigid attitude towards these organizations in recent years, especially towards Taiwan.
