Siew, Xi meet at Boao Forum for Asia

2015-03-31

A meeting between former ROC Vice President Vincent C. Siew and mainland Chinese leader Xi Jinping took place on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference March 28 in Hainan province, mainland China.

Sources familiar with the matter said Siew and Xi exchanged ideas on regional development, the role of Taiwan in the process and the country’s interest in joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Siew, attending the forum as honorary chairman of Taipei City-based Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation, led Taiwan’s 40-plus member delegation to the four-day forum.

During a news conference the day before, Siew said Taiwan should apply for AIIB membership as the nascent institution will finance large-scale infrastructure projects in developing economies and have a major bearing on Taiwan’s future.

“Successful and wide-ranging development experiences enable Taiwan and many other economies to make meaningful contributions.”

According to CSCMF, seeking accession to trade blocs such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and Trans-Pacific Partnership is a top policy priority for the ROC government. “Against this backdrop, Taiwan should embrace the AIIB and mainland China’s latest One Road, One Belt development strategy,” the foundation said.

“Both initiatives will facilitate Taiwan’s expanded participation in regional economic integration, help local firms tap the global market and promote further cross-strait industrial collaboration.”

The sources also said the Mainland Affairs Council is planning interministerial meetings to discuss related AIIB issues, including the pros and cons of membership and the name Taiwan should use for its presence in Beijing’s answer to the World Bank.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=228836&CtNode=413)