The 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was held on March 25 in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, with Taiwan absent for the first time. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stated on March 20 that Cameroon listed the nationality of Taiwan’s delegation members on visa documents as “Taiwan, a province of China,” which it said “seriously demeaned” Taiwan’s status. As a result, Taiwan was “forced to be absent” from the conference. Taiwan had attended every WTO Ministerial Conference since its accession was approved in 2001.
In a press release, MOFA stated that Cameroon’s handling of the nationality designation implied subordination to another WTO member, constituting a clear violation of WTO rules and a departure from long-standing international practice. MOFA described the move as unacceptable political manipulation and said it had lodged a strong protest with both Cameroon and the WTO Secretariat on March 20.
MOFA further noted that, following Taiwan’s protest, Cameroon acknowledged Taiwan’s right to participate with proper status and dignity and proposed a remedial measure by offering visa exemptions for the delegation. However, the exemption documents reportedly contained numerous errors, including misspelled names and incorrect gender information, with most entries mistakenly listed as female. MOFA said these mistakes reflected administrative negligence and a lack of sincerity. Given the late timing of the corrective measures and the inability to resolve the issues in time, Taiwan concluded that entering Cameroon with flawed documents could lead to complications or potential mistreatment. After a comprehensive assessment, Taiwan decided not to attend the conference.
Sources:
1. Central News Agency (Taiwan), March 26, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202603260316.aspx
2. VOA, March 27, 2026
https://www.voachinese.com/a/u-s-lawmakers-slam-china-over-taiwan-s-wto-snub-20260326/8131242.html