Taiwan in ‘informal’ talks with CPTPP membersBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterTaiwan is working on “informal consultations” with member states of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) before it formally applies to join the trade bloc, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said yesterday. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Joanne Ou speaks at the ministry’s regular news conference in Taipei on Thursday last week. Photo: Peng Wan-hsin, Taipei TimesTaiwan is in the middle of conducting informal consultations with the pact’s 11 member states, which are aware of the nation’s determination and the steps it is to take for participation, she said. Joining the CPTPP is crucial for the nation’s economic growth, and Taiwan looks forward to establishing reciprocal trade relations with member states, Ou said. The 11 members represent about 13 percent of global GDP, according to information from the Executive Yuan.

Source: Taipei Times December 15, 2020 15:56 UTC