Finally, both the ROC and PRC are actively preparing to enter the World Trade Organization, which requires that its members have direct commercial exchanges. If it proves impossible to resolve the big three links issue quickly, the ROC can defend its position in the WTO by pointing to the little three links as evidence of already existing direct trade.
另外，兩岸目前都正積極運作加入 WTO，但 WTO 有會員國必須直接通商的規定，兩岸在入會後三通問題若無法於短時間內談成，小三通也可以作為權宜的因應。