It is indeed a great pleasure to lead my delegation from the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu to join all of you in this important gathering. For my delegation, this occasion is particularly gratifying because it took us twelve long years to complete our accession process and this is the first Ministerial Conference my delegation participates with full membership.

Later today, we will be officially adopting the protocols of accession for Nepal and Cambodia. My delegation would like to extend our warmest welcome to the two newest Members of our WTO family, just as all of you did for us two years ago. We endorse the principle of universality of membership in the multilateral trading system. Such universality, moreover, underscores the commitment made by the Trade Minister in 2001, under the Doha Development Agenda, to further liberalize trade, and most of all, to collectively share the prosperity generated with Members of all levels of development, particularly for the developing and least-developed country Members.