Patent linkage in Taiwan: Walking on eggshells

With free trade agreements (FTAs) signed between Taiwan’s major trading partners, notably Korea and the EU in 2011, Korea and the US in 2012, and one between Korea and China expected in 2015, the Taiwan government has made it a priority to enter into FTA agreements of its own. However, given Taiwan’s peculiar international standing (it is recognised by just 22 countries), the only FTAs signed so far have been with its five diplomatic allies in central America: Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.