Australia-Taiwan Relations Forum: Ambassador Hsu Calls for Australia’s Support for Taiwan’s CPTPP Bid
On 28 February, Ambassador Hsu Douglas Hsu, attended the forum "Australia-Taiwan Relations: Navigating Future Paths after IPAC 2024 and the Australian Senate Motion on UN Resolution 2758" at the Queensland Parliament. He engaged in a discussion with Australian Senator Paul Scarr, emphasising the importance of strengthening cooperation in trade, technology, education, and culture.
As Australia assumes the CPTPP rotating chairmanship this year, Ambassador Hsu urged Australia to support Taiwan’s bid to join the agreement.
Ambassador Hsu highlighted Taiwan as the largest economy among all accession candidates that meet CPTPP’s high standards. He urged Australia to adopt a fair, objective, and flexible approach in reviewing accession applications, including Taiwan’s.
He also thanked the Australian government for continually emphasising the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He looked forward to continued engagement with Australia’s government and parliament following the upcoming election.
Senator Scarr reiterated that the Australian Senate unanimously passed a motion in August 2024, clarifying that UN Resolution 2758 does not establish Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan nor determine Taiwan’s future status. Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also issued a statement distinguishing its “One China Policy" from China’s "One China Principle," reaffirming its commitment to deepening trade and technological ties with Taiwan.
The event featured key speakers, including Rowan Callick, Vice Chair of ATBC, Professor Mark Harrison from University of Tasmania, and Professor Mei-fen Kuo from Macquarie University. They stressed that UN Resolution 2758 does not determine Taiwan’s status and had a broad discussion of future Australia-Taiwan relations.
The forum attracts over 100 attendees, including Queensland’s Deputy Speaker, Brisbane city councillors, diplomats from Japan, the Philippines, and Portugal, as well as Australian experts and community leaders.
