TAIWAN: Tne Gael senator Mr Maurice Manning has called on the Government to upgrade official Irish representation in Taiwan to cash in on the huge trade potential there.
At the end of a five-day visit to the island, Mr Manning said Ireland should follow other European countries by being "more flexible" in its attitude to the Taiwan.
Trade between the two countries last year was worth $921 million, with Ireland exporting $250 million worth of goods to Taiwan, and the island exporting $671 million of goods to Ireland. "That is significant but this could be far higher if we had a stronger and more permanent presence there," Mr Manning told The Irish Times.
While Enterprise Ireland had a local representative based on the Island, we would be taken more seriously if a senior Irish government representative was operating there, the senator said.
"We have taken too rigid a line on this. Britain for example has an office with 100 staff in Taiwan headed by someone of ambassadorial rank. Our trade figures are, after all, more than Finland and Denmark and the same as Spain, who all have stronger representation than us."
China regards Taiwan as a rebel province which it wants reunited with the mainland. Establishing a stronger presence in Taiwan would not go down well with the Chinese authorities.
However, Mr Manning, who was a guest of the Taiwanese government, said Taiwan had passed all tests of democracy in recent years and "we should be supporting democratic nations".
He would be seeking a meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, to discuss the matter. Mr Manning is also bringing back from Taiwan an invitation to Irish universities to go there to explore the possibility of establishing post-doctorate fellowships between Taiwanese and Irish colleges.