TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese businesspeople in Canada pushed for the nation’s inclusion in the CPTPP trade agreement before its 11 member countries meet in Vancouver on Thursday (Nov. 28).
Canada is chairing the eighth annual CPTPP members meeting on Thursday and Friday. The country’s international affairs department said the meeting will focus on underrepresented groups in trade.
World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce Deputy Chair Hsu Chih-yuan (許志遠) told CNA he and 20 others met Canadian government officials in May to promote Taiwan’s application to the CPTPP. Hsu said US President-elect Donald Trump’s wide-ranging tariff plan means economic agreements such as the CPTPP are important for Taiwan.
“We hope every member country can understand that this is an economic and trade issue, and professional judgment should not be affected by politics,” he said. “Taiwan is the center of the world’s supply chain and if it does not join it will be a big loss for members.”
Biochemicals and electronics businessperson Chiang Hsu-shan (江許山) said he met officials from many countries who are in Canada for the meeting on Wednesday. He said even if Taiwan’s CPTPP application is temporarily blocked Taiwan can still negotiate bi-lateral trade agreements.

Kao Chun-yen (高鈞彥) runs a biological instruments company and is the vice president of the Global Taiwanese Medical Alliance’s Canada wing. Kao said believes the chance of Taiwan's application being discussed at the meeting is low.
Kao explained that a consensus among all member states is required for a new member to join the CPTPP and Taiwan’s application is encountering resistance. “It would be great if Canada could serve a leading role in establishing a working group for Taiwan’s application,” he said.
The calls for Taiwan’s inclusion came after former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) encouraged Taiwanese in Canada to lobby for the cause about a week earlier. Tsai said Canada would play an important role in Taiwan’s application.
Taiwan’s political status would not prevent its 2021 application to join the CPTPP as members join as economies rather than states. China also applied to join the trade agreement in 2021 and may block Taiwan’s application if it becomes a member.
The CPTPP's 11 members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The group has approved the UK's application to join and it is set to become a member in December.