"We'll say, `Here's what Taiwan is saying in response to your concerns. Does this allay your fears or not?'" the US official said.
But he indicated that the decision is likely to be favorable to Taiwan.
The USTR will announce its decision "within the next couple of weeks," and could do so as early as next Thursday, the US official said.
The TIFA talks have apparently come close to settling two other areas that have strained US-Taiwan trade relations, Chen said.
Those are telecommunications and agricultural -- mainly rice -- imports.
On telecommunications, the US has urged Taiwan to set up an independent regulatory agency.
In response, Chen noted, Taiwan has drawn up plans for a National Communications Commission that will be set up as soon as the Legislative Yuan passes a law providing a legal basis for the agency.
"We will try to push the passage of this law as soon as possible," Chen said.
On rice imports, Taiwan has "agreed in principle with the idea of adopting a country quota system for some of the rice imported into Taiwan," Chen told the Taipei Times.
"That is something the US would like to see. Since we agree, this is not an issue any more," Chen said.
Meanwhile, the US official expressed hope that the next TIFA talks will be held by next summer in Taiwan.
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