Source: Republic of China Taiwan
MOFA strongly condemns Cameroon for compelling Taiwan to be absent from WTO MC14
Date：2026-03-20
Data Source：Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs
March 20, 2026
No. 101 Taiwan has been compelled to be absent from the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) after the Republic of Cameroon, the host country, sought to issue visas to members of the Taiwan delegation using improper and unacceptable nomenclature for the nationality designation.
This will mark the first time that Taiwan has not attended a Ministerial Conference since it acceded to the WTO at the fourth Ministerial Conference in 2001. Cameroon’s subservience to China and disregard for the long-standing practice of host members respecting Taiwan’s status as a member not subordinate to any other member has severely infringed on Taiwan’s right to equal participation in the WTO. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) expresses its condemnation in the strongest possible terms.
The Ministerial Conference is the WTO’s highest decision-making body and is held biennially. The 14th session is scheduled to take place from March 26 to 29 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. This would have marked the 11th delegation from Taiwan to attend since Taiwan first participated in 2001.
In accordance with established precedent, the Taiwan delegation was to have been led by Minister without Portfolio and Chief Trade Representative Yang Jen-ni. However, the pre-enrolment notification issued by Cameroon to Taiwan prior to the delegation’s departure erroneously designated Taiwan as Taiwan, Province of China, seriously demeaning Taiwan’s status.
MOFA notes that Taiwan acceded to the WTO as a separate customs territory and that it is not subordinate to any other member. Cameroon’s designation is clearly inconsistent with Taiwan’s membership status and standing under the WTO framework. Despite repeated efforts by Taiwan’s Permanent Mission to the WTO to engage the WTO Secretariat and director-general, as well as active assistance from other members—including the United States, Japan, and diplomatic allies of Taiwan—Cameroon failed to uphold its responsibilities as this year’s host, insisting instead that its improper visa designation for Taiwan was a matter of its foreign policy. By prioritizing bilateral policy considerations over the collective interests of the WTO as a multilateral organization, Cameroon not only violated long-standing conventions regarding entry and visa procedures for delegation members from Taiwan, it also neglected to provide Taiwan with the fair, impartial, and reasonable treatment that Taiwan is entitled to as a WTO member. Furthermore, Cameroon ignored the flexible solutions proposed by Taiwan. MOFA reiterates its strongest possible condemnation of Cameroon.
MOFA notes that Taiwan, as a responsible member of the WTO, has lodged a formal protest with the WTO Secretariat and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cameroon. In addition, Taiwan is calling for future hosts of WTO Ministerial Conferences to provide formal assurances that similar incidents undermining the equal rights of members will not recur. MOFA emphasizes that Taiwan will continue to maintain close coordination with like-minded members to jointly protect the rules-based international economic and trade order and safeguard Taiwan’s rights and dignity. (E)