Taipei - Taiwan's leader said he is in favour of joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in comments published Friday, making it the latest economy to express interest in joining the Beijing-backed institution.
It was not immediately clear if the island could actually join the AIIB, as the mainland has long opposed allowing Taiwan to join any international organisations that confer sovereignty upon it.
President Ma Ying-jeou's remarks came after the bank, which the United States has opposed, has attracted several potential new members this month, including staunch American allies Britain and South Korea.
"I am in favour of joining (AIIB) in principle," Ma told the Taipei-based China Times newspaper.
"We should not stay on the sidelines. (We) should actively participate in it."
He explicitly linked potential membership in the AIIB to Taiwan's bids to join other proposed multinational free-trade blocs, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
"We hope to participate in regional economic integration and many countries that will benefit from AIIB are members of RCEP or are in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
It was not immediately clear whether Beijing would allow any application by Taiwan, which it regards as part of its territory awaiting reunification.
AFP
