Our Policy on Taiwan is Clear, Consistent, Says MEA

India said on Thursday that it is strengthening communication with Taiwan in many areas including trade and investment, and Taipei’s decision to open an economic and cultural hub in Mumbai should be seen in this context.

The comments by Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi came a day after the Taiwanese government announced that it would establish the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in India’s financial capital Mumbai in line with the broader goal of expanding all-round cooperation between the two sides.

“Our policy on Taiwan is clear and consistent. The government facilitates and promotes interactions in trade, investment, tourism, culture, education and other people-to-people contacts and exchanges,” Bajie said in response to a question.

He said Taiwan’s decision to open the World Trade Center in Mumbai should be seen in this context.

Taiwan’s decision to set up TECC came at a time when leading Taiwanese companies are increasingly looking to move their production bases from China to India, the United States and countries in Europe amid Taipei’s increasingly strained relations with Beijing.

Relations between China and Taiwan came under severe strain after US House Speaker Nancy Palosi visited the self-governing island in August last year.

At present, Taiwan has TECCs in Delhi and Chennai and they have played an important role in expanding trade and investment relations in two directions.

The announcement of the establishment of TECC in Mumbai is seen as a major signal by both New Delhi and Taipei to intensify the overall course of relations.

India is keen on having production facilities from leading Taiwanese companies including chip producers such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC), the world’s largest chip maker whose customers include Apple.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that the decision to establish the World Trade Center in Mumbai was taken in view of the “significant progress” seen in cooperation between India and Taiwan in the areas of trade, vital supply chains, and science and technology. culture and education in recent years.

In view of this development, she said, the Taiwan government will establish the World Trade Center in Mumbai in order to further deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

“Since TECC was established in Chennai in 2012, nearly 60 percent of all Taiwanese companies investing and opening factories in India have chosen to develop their operations in South India,” she added.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and insists it must be united with the mainland, by force if necessary. However, Taiwan sees itself as very different from China.

Although India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations, bilateral trade relations are reviving.

In 1995, New Delhi established the India Taipei Association (ITA) in Taipei to enhance interactions between the two sides and facilitate trade, tourism and cultural exchanges.

The Taipei India Society has also been authorized to provide all consular and passport services.

In the same year, Taiwan also established the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Delhi.

(This story was not edited by the News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)