Taiwan to set up trade offices in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia

Taipei, Nov. 24 (CNA) Taiwan is planning to set up trade offices in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, which may signal a breakthrough in the country's bid to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a ruling Kuomintang legislator said Tuesday.

At least one of the offices will be established by the end of the year, according to Justin Chou, a convener of the Legislative Yuan's Foreign and National Defense Committee.

Chou noted that Taiwan had difficulty setting up trade offices in these three countries in the past mainly because of China's obstruction.

However, as Taiwan's relations with China has improved significantly over the past year, ASEAN members are now more willing to develop economic and trade relations with Taiwan, he said.

This shows that it is not impossible for Taiwan to be included in ASEAN in the future, Chou said.

Also, he said, the signing of an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and China will encourage ASEAN members to forge free trade agreements (FTAs) with Taiwan. Singapore is likely to be the first ASEAN member to ink an FTA with Taiwan following the establishment of the ECFA, Chou said.

Economic integration between ASEAN and the East Asian economies of China, Japan and South Korea (ASEAN Ten Plus Three) is scheduled to be achieved in 2012.

For fear of being marginalized, Taiwan has been seeking to take part in the integration process and has put forth the concept of "ASEAN Ten Plus Four."