TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Lo Chang-fa (羅昌發), made five criticisms of China's trade practices during the WTO's Trade Policy Review (TPR) for China on Wednesday (July 17).
Lo's first criticism centered on China's politically motivated restrictions on Taiwanese mango and pineapple exports. He argued that China disregarded scientific evidence and instead relied on the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement to justify its actions, per CNA.
Second, Lo criticized the lack of transparency and consistency in China's food business registration process, which he claimed lacked a sound legal basis. He noted that only 33% of Taiwanese applicants were approved by China, with no explanation for rejected applications.
Lo's third point of contention was China's unilateral investigation into Taiwan's trade barriers, which he believed showed prejudice. He added that China offered no opportunity for consultation about the findings.
His fourth criticism suggested the investigation did not comply with WTO rules. He said this failure rendered any retaliation from China unjustified.
Lastly, Lo criticized China's opaque subsidy programs, which he argued distorted global trade. He expressed similar concerns shared by other member states regarding this issue.
Lo urged China to address structural issues and adhere to WTO transparency rules. He emphasized Taiwan's desire to resolve all disputes through negotiations.
Lo concluded his remarks by echoing concerns raised by other members and hoping that China would respect the rights of all WTO participants. The WTO's TPR mechanism mandates a review of the top five trading nations every two years.
China is the first country to undergo review in the current cycle. Following China's report, member states have the opportunity to comment.
China will be able to address these comments on Friday (July 19), followed by a final round of responses from member states. China's delegation to the review includes Ministry of Commerce Vice Minister Li Fei (李飛) and Permanent Representative Li Chenggang (李成鋼).
