CHINA-AIIB: TAIWAN'S APPLICATION
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On March 31, 2015, Taiwan formally applied to join the proposed China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Taiwan's Foreign Affairs Minister David Lin said that Taiwan had sent its letter of intent that same evening which was also the last day for interested parties to apply for founding membership of the proposed regional bank. Premier Mao Chi-kuo said it would be best for Taiwan to join the AIIB under the name of the Republic of China, although he added that it is not yet time to talk about the name designation. Meanwhile, China's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Taiwan's application to join the AIIB "should avoid giving rise to the issues of 'two Chinas,' or 'one China, one Taiwan.'"
(Comment: Expected to be set up by the end of this year, the window for application for membership was set to expire at midnight on March 31, 2015. China's official figures put the number of countries applying to join at 46 so far.)
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