US officials shared their concerns over video and other electronic piracy and over indecision regarding major arms purchases with Taiwan's delegation to a National Prayer Breakfast, delegation mem-bers said in Washington.
The eight-person delegation, headed by DPP Secretary-General Chang Chung-hsiung (
US trade officials raised the issue of intellectual property rights (IPR), pointing to piracy in Taiwan of US-made videos, music CDs, software and other electronic products.
Lobbyists in Washington have complained in recent years about the problem and American Institute in Taiwan director Douglas Paal recently claimed the situation is getting worse.
However, delegation member Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳), Executive Yuan secretary-general, said the delegation made a strong case defending Taiwan and the actions it has taken to fight IPR violations. She said the problem Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) government has is with the Legislative Yuan, which is controlled by opposition parties, and with the independent judiciary.
She said the delegates stated their case that IPR "is a brand new issue in Chinese culture," and therefore Taiwan "doesn't have any experience" in dealing with it.
While she indicated that US officials were not satisfied with Taiwan's response, they expressed understanding.
On prospects for a free-trade agreement, Liu said US officials indicated they are willing to open negotiations, but that they cannot do so now because they do not have enough personnel in the Office of the US Trade Representative to work on a Taiwan FTA.
She said the office is busy working on agreements with other countries and did not say when the office might get around to Taiwan.
Other delegation members conceded that US-Taiwan FTA talks will not be held until Taiwan complies with WTO rules on IPR violations and other areas, such as agriculture and pharmaceuticals.
US dissatisfaction with the way in which the Ministry of National Defense and the Legislative Yuan are treating US arms sales also surfaced during the delegations' visit.
"[Some Americans feel] Taiwan doesn't share a sense of urgency about the threat from China," which they feel is increasing, DPP Legislator Parris Chang said.
The US side pointed to the decline in Taiwan's defense budget in recent years and to an inability to finalize the purchase of Kidd-class destroyers, which Bush agreed to sell to Taiwan nearly two years ago.
The talks with US officials and lawmakers dealt with the gamut of US-Taiwan and US-China relations, Chang said at a press conference at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Relations Office mansion, Twin Oaks.
In view of recent world events, the discussions also dealt with the possibility of a US war with Iraq, the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis and the war against terrorism.
The Taiwan delegation pledged the nation's support for any war against Iraq and for the ongoing war against terrorism. Delegation members pointed to humanitarian aid and other expressions of support the Taiwan government has already provided.
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