Does the EU Dare to Set up Trade Office?

John Chang
Research Fellow, Division IV, Taiwan Research Institute
（First Published as Taiwan News Editorial on July 12, 2001）

Once Again, the European Union showed its intention to set up a trade representation office in Taipei. It was Gunnar Wiegand, spokesman for EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, who disclosed this age-old and delayed proposal to reporters in this gusty summer of early July. Interestingly, this is the third time that the EU Commission has made this sort of official statement. This time, the EU's intention was delivered with a much more serious tone than on the previous two occasions. In addition to Wiegand's verbal announcement, in which it was pointed out that Taiwan is the EU's 10th largest trading partner, a press statement was issued adding: "Consideration is further being given to the opening of a trade representation office in Taiwan." Also, in a strategy paper to be put to EU foreign ministers and the European Parliament, the Commission emphasized the functional necessity of establishing the EU mission office in Taipei by the end of 2002.

The previous two documents concerning the EU mission in Taiwan can be seen in: (1), "Multi annual allocation of resources of the External Service" SEC(98)1261 of 8th April 1998; and (2), "Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament concerning the development of the external service" COM(2000)456final of 18th July 2000. It was said that even the budget for the setting up of the EU office in Taipei was well planned then. Unfortunately, short of the diplomatic courage to extend its external relations to Taiwan, the Commission failed to implement its own proposal.

Obviously, the troublemaker that stands in the way between Brussels and Taipei, preventing the EU Commission from establishing an office in Taiwan, is the government far away in the enigmatic China. China does not want any state/international organization to link diplomatically with Taiwan. The politicians in the EU realize that short cut leading from Brussels to Taipei should go through Beijing. Respect should be paid to the Big Brother, China. Otherwise, Chinese highwaymen will be clearly seen on the way. In other words, the EU should kowtow to Beijing before doing anything with Taiwan.

This shows how rigidly China has contained and isolated Taiwan into a pariah state.

This shows how the EU and its member states have ignored the development of democratization in Taiwan, and the economic success story of Taiwan.

This also explained the catch phrase of an Agence France-press article on the subject: "EC expects no China opposition on Taiwan Trade Office".

This, nevertheless, should not frustrate the people of Taiwan. Taiwan can still wait with great expectations of entertaining the diplomats from the European Union in the near future, probably by the end of 2002. Taiwan still stands optimistic in an advantageous position to enter the democratized international community.