TAIPEI, Dec 3 (Reuters) - A major Trans-Pacific trade

pact remains open to other aspirant members including Taiwan to

join, Canada's government said, after Taipei complained a

working group to consider its entry had not been established.

Taiwan's government expressed disappointment on Friday that

members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for

Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) had not set up a working group

to consider its membership at a ministerial meeting in

Vancouver, saying there should not be political considerations.

In a statement to Reuters on Tuesday, Global Affairs Canada

said existing member states will continue to discuss membership

requests after the establishment of the Accession Working Group,

or AWG, for Costa Rica, at the meeting in Canada.

"The establishment of an AWG for Costa Rica will not impede

or delay deliberations on other aspirant economies' Accession

Requests (including Taiwan's) in accordance with the Auckland

Principles," it said.

The "Auckland Principles" refer to an ability to meet the

high standards of the agreement, a demonstrated pattern of

complying with trade commitments, and recognition that decisions

are dependent on members reaching consensus, the statement

added.

"The CPTPP continues to welcome the interest of and remains

open to economies that can satisfy the Auckland Principles."

Taiwan in 2021 formally applied to join the CPTPP, less than

a week after China said it too had submitted an application. The

group currently has 11 members - Australia, Brunei, Canada,

Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore and

Vietnam - and Britain will formally join this month.

There has also been no working group set up so far to

consider China's application.

Taiwan has few international trade agreements due to its

diplomatic isolation because of pressure from China, which views

the democratically governed island as its own territory.

However, both Taiwan and China, which has opposed Taiwan's

CPTPP application, are members of the World Trade Organization.

Taiwan says China has no right to speak for it or represent

it on the world stage and that it has a right to engage with

other countries and international bodies.