Taiwan's delegation to the APEC Summit, headed by former vice president Lien Chan, recently returned from Japan and visited President Ma Ying-jeou on Tuesday to report the results. Lien suggested that the government should recognize the importance of the Pan-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, and Ma readily agreed.

President Ma Ying Jeou met with the returning delegation to APEC in Yokohama as he acknowledged the out

Lien Chan also mentioned that he had the chance to talk with U.S. President Obama of the Pan-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement while he encouraged the Ma administration to pay close attention to the agreement.

Ma responded by saying that Taiwan would aggressively get in touch with those countries, which are participating in the TPP and will further evaluate the pros and cons of participating in it.

Scholars pointed out that, TPP courtiers started off with only 4 and now grew to 9 countries.

It is likely that those nine countries participating in the Pan Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement will announce the formation of a free-trade zone at next years APEC meeting in Hawaii;

therefore, in the next year, Taiwan should aggressively seek participation in the TPP to avoid being marginalized in the consolidation process of the whole Southeast Asian region, which is becoming a stronger economic entity.

With China gaining stronger influence in the ASEAN, TPP is a major way for the U.S. to tap into the Asian Pacific market as a way to dismantle Chinas force in the region in the ever on-going head-to -head competition between the two powerhouse,

for which, Taiwan should consider the best position for itself in the global stage and be more proactive about it.

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