Taiwan decides to close down representative office in Bangladesh
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Sheikh Shahariar Zaman
The Taiwanese government has decided to close down its representative office in Bangladesh due to its low level of performance.
It was reported Monday by Taiwan News, a news agency based in Taipei.
The news, quoting Taiwanese Vice Foreign Minister Andrew Hsia, said, "For the four years of its existence, the Taiwanese representative office in Bangladesh has been unable to issue visas, unable to hang out a plaque with its name, and unable to make any contact with that country's foreign ministry."
The Taiwan trade office in Bangladesh, however, declined to make any comment on the issue.
"We are yet to get any confirmation from our foreign ministry. By next week we will be able to make comment on the issue," said a Taiwanese official working in the office.
The government of Bangladesh is in favour of the One China Policy.
Mr Hsia defended the decision to close the office in June as an effort to cut waste of resources, said the news.
A Taiwanese investor said the trade office is not able to protect the Taiwanese investors' interest and in the future, if they have any problems, they may have to just go directly to the Chinese embassy for help.
The Bangladesh government recently cancelled land allotment agreements of 14 foreign companies, out of which eight are Taiwanese, in the Extended Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone, where the companies wanted to set up their plants.
The representative office, second in South Asia, was opened in 2004. The first representative office was opened in India in 1995.
The Taiwanese foreign ministry had conducted a comprehensive review of effectiveness of its overseas offices with a view to maximising its overall diplomatic resources.
The Taiwanese government has decided to close down its representative office in Bangladesh due to its low level of performance.
It was reported Monday by Taiwan News, a news agency based in Taipei.
The news, quoting Taiwanese Vice Foreign Minister Andrew Hsia, said, "For the four years of its existence, the Taiwanese representative office in Bangladesh has been unable to issue visas, unable to hang out a plaque with its name, and unable to make any contact with that country's foreign ministry."
The Taiwan trade office in Bangladesh, however, declined to make any comment on the issue.
"We are yet to get any confirmation from our foreign ministry. By next week we will be able to make comment on the issue," said a Taiwanese official working in the office.
The government of Bangladesh is in favour of the One China Policy.
Mr Hsia defended the decision to close the office in June as an effort to cut waste of resources, said the news.
A Taiwanese investor said the trade office is not able to protect the Taiwanese investors' interest and in the future, if they have any problems, they may have to just go directly to the Chinese embassy for help.
The Bangladesh government recently cancelled land allotment agreements of 14 foreign companies, out of which eight are Taiwanese, in the Extended Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone, where the companies wanted to set up their plants.
The representative office, second in South Asia, was opened in 2004. The first representative office was opened in India in 1995.
The Taiwanese foreign ministry had conducted a comprehensive review of effectiveness of its overseas offices with a view to maximising its overall diplomatic resources.