Jon Kyl: “in recent days, there have been some disturbing moves by China to block Taiwan's entry into the World Trade Organization…”

“in recent days, there have been some disturbing moves by China to block Taiwan's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), despite China's previous assurances to the United States that it would not do so. As recently as Thursday, September 7, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said that China wanted its claim to sovereignty over Taiwan written into the terms of the WTO's rules, stating ``The Chinese side has a consistent and clear position: Taiwan can join WTO as a separate customs territory of China.'' This statement by China's Foreign Ministry spokesman comes on the heels of earlier efforts by China to block Taiwan's WTO entry. As the Wall Street Journal reported in July: ``. . . as WTO staff members draw up the so-called protocol agreements--the reams of paper that define exactly what concessions China will make in order to gain entry into the organization--China is insisting that its claim over Taiwan be recognized in the legal language . . . chief Chinese negotiator Long Yongtu said . . . such a stand ``is a matter of principle for us'' . . . That would upset a consensus within the WTO that Taiwan should be allowed to enter the club as a separate economic area--that is, not an independent country, but also not as an explicit part of China.”