Taiwan, Japan And South Korea Jointly Defend Fishery Subsidies In WTOff

Taiwan has joined hands with Japan and South Korea to build a united front to defend their fishery subsidies policies at the World Trade Organization (WTO), a trade source said in Geneva Thursday.

The WTO members had agreed, at the 2001 Doha Ministerial Conference, to launch negotiations in the area of “WTO rules”, and these negotiations relate to various subjects, including the WTO's regulations on fisheries subsidies.

The source said that at a “WTO rules” meeting held this week in Geneva, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea expressed opposition to imposing a ban on fisheries subsidies.

Both Taiwan and South Korea also voiced their support for a proposal raised by Japan to list such items that will be allowed to receive subsidies from the government.

Japan proposed in June of this year that subsidies be allowed to continue for so-called "green area" fishery items, including those subsidies that can protect fishery resources rather than harm them. It also suggested that the WTO ban the so-called “red area” fishery items, such as illegal fishing, from receiving subsidies.

Speaking at this week's meeting, a Taiwan trade official spoke up in support of the Japanese proposal, saying that it is a good foundation for further talks on relevant issues. The South Korean representative also voiced support for the proposal.

Nevertheless, New Zealand, the United States and the European Union expressed at the gathering that they basically support adopting a complete ban on fisheries subsidies, saying that any fishery subsidies to be exempted from such a ban should be decided upon through negotiations.

A U.S. official, claiming that the Japanese proposal is a major step backward, said at the meeting that Japan's intention seems to be to avoid having any of its subsidies plans prohibited. Criticizing the proposal as not being practical, the official said that the model suggested by New Zealand, the United States and the European Union is a better way to create a “win-win” result for the protection of world fishery resources and trade. Australia, Canada and Iceland also expressed their concern about the Japanese proposal at the meeting.