Taiwan seeks Aussie help in CPTPP bid

A Taiwanese official turned to Australia to help the former’s China-opposed bid of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The official said that Taiwan can boost high technology trade flow and demand for Australian minerals.

Supporting Taiwan’s bid would also “send a strong message” to Australian businesses affected by China’s recent boycotts of Australian products, Elliot Charng, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office representative said in an address to a parliament committee in Canberra on Tuesday.

Formed in 2018, the CPTPP’s current members include Canada, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. The group has received applications to join from Britain, China, and Taiwan, which each of the 11-nation members has to approve.

China and Taiwan’s bid in the past month have created tension, with China opposing Taiwan’s application and Taiwan accusing China of bullying.

Both Taiwan and China have trading ties with Australia. China was Australia’s biggest trading partner, with exports reaching a record A$19.4 billion in July. Meanwhile, Australia was Taiwan’s third-largest source of agricultural goods, worth US$607 million in the previous year.