Taiwan to set up trade offices in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia

By Chou Yung-chieh and Y.F. Low

Taipei, Nov. 24 (CNA) Taiwan is planning to set up trade offices in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, which may signal a breakthrough in the country's bid to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a ruling Kuomintang legislator said Tuesday.

At least one of the offices will be established by the end of the year, according to Justin Chou, a convener of the Legislative Yuan's Foreign and National Defense Committee.

Chou noted that Taiwan had difficulty setting up trade offices in these three countries in the past mainly because of China's obstruction.

However, as Taiwan's relations with China has improved significantly over the past year, ASEAN members are now more willing to develop economic and trade relations with Taiwan, he said.

This shows that it is not impossible for Taiwan to be included in ASEAN in the future, Chou said.

Also, he said, the signing of an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and China will encourage ASEAN members to forge free trade agreements (FTAs) with Taiwan. Singapore is likely to be the first ASEAN member to ink an FTA with Taiwan following the establishment of the ECFA, Chou said.

Economic integration between ASEAN and the East Asian economies of China, Japan and South Korea (ASEAN Ten Plus Three) is scheduled to be achieved in 2012.

For fear of being marginalized, Taiwan has been seeking to take part in the integration process and has put forth the concept of "ASEAN Ten Plus Four."

Taiwan 'Regrets' Denial of Liaison Office

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
17 January 2008

The Taiwanese government said this week it regretted Cambodia’s decision to bar a business liaison office from opening in Phnom Penh, the China Post reported.

Cambodia strictly follows a one-China policy, which categorizes Taiwan as a rogue province, and last week Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong rejected a request by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council to open an office in Phnom Penh.

“We regret Cambodia Foreign Ministry’s stance to make politics take precedence over all other matters,” Phoebe Yeh, a spokeswoman for the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was quoted saying.

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thursday such business offices acted as “unofficial” embassies for Taiwan.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said Thursday neighboring countries like Vietnam and Thailand managed to have Chinese embassies along with Taiwanese trade offices, “but that does not affect their one-China policy.”

“They recognize that even if it is just for business purposes, there should be one office to coordinate and settle technical issues,” he said.

Taiwan wants to open trade office in Cambodia

Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Foreign Commercial Development Committee (FCDC), a Taiwanese trade agency, declared that it plans to open an office in Cambodia. The Rasmei Kampuchea quoted a news media reporting that the Taiwanese FCDC plans to open its offices in Cambodia and a number of Asian countries, such as Pakistan and Burma, in order to help Taiwanese businessmen find new markets in Asia. The FCDC did not indicate the schedule of its delegation visit to Cambodia. Rasmei Kampuchea could not reach Cambodian officials to obtain clarifications, as 07 January was a holiday. In the past, Cambodian tightened its relationship with Taiwan, and Cambodia always supports the one-China policy. In the mid-90s, Taiwan planned to open a commerce representative office in Phnom Penh, but it was not successful in doing so.