Business News

Taiwan sets condition for ending boycott of WTO's China judge

Nov 25, 2007, 13:04 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan on Sunday set a condition for ending its boycott of the first Chinese judge at the World Trade Organization (WTO): she must promise fair treatment of Taiwan.

'We have reservations about WTO's planned appointment of Zhang Yuejiao because in China the judicial system takes orders from the Chinese government,' Shieh Jhy-wey of Taiwan's Government Information Office said.

'We know this too well because we have had many unpleasant experiences of being unfairly treated by China in international organizations, so we must protect our interests,' he said.

The WTO was to appoint four lawyers - including Zhang - as judges in its Appellate Body which settles trade disputes between WTO members on November 19.

Taiwan boycotted her appointment again on November 23, despite proests from all other WTO members who approve Zhang's appointment.

Bruce Gosper, Australia's ambassador to the WTO and head of WTO's dispute settlement body, has warned that Taiwan's boycott threatens to plunge the WTO into a institutional crisis.

Taiwan and China split as the end of the 1949 when the Chinese Nationalist or Kuomintang (KMT) government fled to the island to set up its government in exile.

As Taiwan is recognized by only 24 mostly-small nations, China has barred the self-governing island which it claims from joining most international organizations.

Taiwan and China joined the WTO just after each other in December 2001-January 2002.