February 26, 2024
No. 073
While attending the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Taiwan joined more than 40 WTO members at a side event held on February 25 to convey solidarity with Ukraine. The participants, including the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, issued a joint statement expressing support for Ukraine. Taiwan’s participation in the event again underscored its synchronized efforts with the international community to jointly thwart the expansionist ambitions of authoritarian countries and its staunch commitment to protecting the multilateral trade system and ensuring the stability of the global economy.
The joint statement reaffirms support for the people and government of Ukraine in their fight for sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and calls for Russia to immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine. It points out that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has produced devastating global and regional impacts and gravely violated the principles and values of the WTO. It also encourages all WTO members to facilitate Ukrainian exports and supply chains by facilitating the use of infrastructure and simplifying customs procedures, as well as explore practical ways to assist Ukraine in its reconstruction efforts.
Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community and ranks among the world’s top-20 trading economies. To fulfill its obligations as a WTO member, Taiwan will continue to work with like-minded partners to help Ukraine maintain people’s basic economic livelihoods. It will actively seek to participate in Ukraine’s future recovery and reconstruction and demonstrate that Taiwan is a force for good that contributes to the global community. (E)