Taiwan continues pursuing admission into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) urged CPTPP members to avoid political considerations and review Taiwan’s membership case fairly and objectively.
Speaking at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research’s international seminar on supply chain resilience, Lin said Taiwan's inclusion would strengthen the CPTPP's economic influence, highlighting Taiwan’s efforts to revise its regulations to meet the agreement's high standards. Lin says that as an export-oriented country, stable access to international markets is critical to Taiwan's economy.
Since taking office, Lin has focused on value-driven diplomacy, forming alliances and promoting trade, with Taiwan’s bid to join CPTPP being central to this effort. Lin says geopolitical shifts and economic coercion by authoritarian states have driven the U.S. and EU to diversify supply chains, reducing reliance on China. He says Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors, ICT and manufacturing make it key to regional security and global supply chains. Lin adds that Taiwan ranked 16th globally in exports last year, with a trade volume of US$784 billion, and says its 22-year WTO membership demonstrates Taiwan is well-positioned to meet CPTPP standards and contribute to global trade.
Lin calls on members to evaluate Taiwan’s bid to join the CPTPP fairly, based on economic and trade merits and expressed hope for bilateral consultations and the formation of a working group to support Taiwan’s membership. Lin stresses that Taiwan's participation would benefit all members by enhancing supply chain resilience and economic security in the Asia-Pacific region.