The Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu has decided not to participate in the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) held in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The host Member mis-designated our nationality entry in the courtesy visas, as “Taiwan, Province of China”, a designation that implies we fall under the sovereignty of another Member. It is plainly incompatible with our status as a full Member of the WTO and directly undermines our rights under the WTO Agreement.
The said mis-designation marks an unexpected, unilateral, and unlawful deviation from the established practices of past Ministerial Conferences. It also demonstrates that the government of Cameroon, as the host Member of the highest decision-making body of the WTO, chooses to prioritize its bilateral policy concerns above its obligations under the multilateral legal order.
A host Member bears the obligations and responsibilities to provide necessary privileges and immunities, including issuance of courtesy visas, entry protocols and facilitation arrangements during the Conference, to all representatives of Members for their equal and effective participation in the Ministerial Conference. By the said mis-designation, the government of Cameroon does not only deviate from the past practices but fails to meet its obligations as the host Member of the MC14.
Regardless of the flexibility we have made and our good-faith efforts to seek a resolution, the government of Cameroon has not made any move, nor has it come out with any solution. As a steadfast supporter of the multilateral trading system, we deeply regret that the diplomatic policies of the host Member have overridden the fundamental principles and spirit of multilateralism.
The conduct of Cameroon must not be regarded as a precedent, and future host Members must ensure that such a breach of established practice and fundamental principles is not repeated.
This is not only our own concern. Any WTO Member could find itself subject to a host Member’s politically motivated entry or visa policy at a future Ministerial Conference, if without proper institutional constraints. The future of multilateral framework could be put under a systemic vulnerability.
After careful consideration and with genuine regret, we have decided that we must withdraw from the MC14. This decision is taken in the hope that future engagements can proceed on the basis of mutual respect, adherence to established practices, and the shared commitment to the fundamental principles that underpin the WTO.
