Canada says Pacific trade pact open to new members after Taiwan complains

TAIPEI - A major Trans-Pacific trade pact remains open to other aspirant members including Taiwan to join, Canada's government said, after Taipei complained a working group to consider its entry had not been established.

Taiwan's government expressed disappointment on Friday that members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) had not set up a working group to consider its membership at a ministerial meeting in Vancouver, saying there should not be political considerations.

In a statement to Reuters on Tuesday, Global Affairs Canada said existing member states will continue to discuss membership requests after the establishment of the Accession Working Group, or AWG, for Costa Rica, at the meeting in Canada.

"The establishment of an AWG for Costa Rica will not impede or delay deliberations on other aspirant economies' Accession Requests (including Taiwan's) in accordance with the Auckland Principles," it said.

The "Auckland Principles" refer to an ability to meet the high standards of the agreement, a demonstrated pattern of complying with trade commitments, and recognition that decisions are dependent on members reaching consensus, the statement added.

"The CPTPP continues to welcome the interest of and remains open to economies that can satisfy the Auckland Principles."

Taiwan in 2021 formally applied to join the CPTPP, less than a week after China said it too had submitted an application. The group currently has 11 members - Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam - and Britain will formally join this month.

There has also been no working group set up so far to consider China's application.

Taiwan has few international trade agreements due to its diplomatic isolation because of pressure from China, which views the democratically governed island as its own territory.

However, both Taiwan and China, which has opposed Taiwan's CPTPP application, are members of the World Trade Organization.

Taiwan says China has no right to speak for it or represent it on the world stage and that it has a right to engage with other countries and international bodies.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)