Taiwan and Singapore said they will study reaching an economic cooperation agreement following Taiwan’s first such deal made with China in June.

The countries will meet later this year for discussions, according to an e-mailed statement issued today by the trade offices of the two islands.

“Singapore and Chinese Taipei have always enjoyed close relations,” the statement said. Taiwan isn’t recognised as fully independent by international organisations such as the World Trade Organization, which calls it “Chinese Taipei”.

Taiwan signed its first trade accord with China in June, strengthening commercial ties with the world’s fastest-growing major economy and the island’s biggest trading partner and investment destination.

Taiwan’s international relations are complicated by China’s insistence that the island is part of its territory and that any attempt to treat it as a sovereign state is unacceptable.

Past attempts to forge deals with Singapore and Japan were unsuccessful because of China, Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou said in April. Taiwan also aims to sign free trade agreements with other countries in Southeast Asia and Japan, the island’s top negotiator with China Chiang Pin-kung said in an interview in July.

A private and unofficial visit to Taiwan in July 2004 by Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who was then the deputy prime minister, drew criticism from China that Singapore had violated its commitment to a “One China” policy. Singapore has said it doesn’t support independence for Taiwan.

Singapore, whose armed forces train in Taiwan, has interests on the island that continue to be vital to its national security, Lee said in a speech in August 2004 after becoming prime minister.