President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Wednesday expressed the government’s interest in taking part in an Indo-Pacific economic framework that the US proposes to launch early next year.
“We look forward to taking part in the recently announced Indo-Pacific economic framework,” Tsai told an event in Taipei that marked the 70th anniversary of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham).
Tsai was eager to underscore the nation’s trade partner credentials, saying that Taiwan has transformed itself into a tech hub for Asia, while building a flexible and diverse economy that would allow it to play a crucial role in the proposed pact.
Photo: CNA
The US Department of Commerce said that talks on the pact are in the preliminary stages.
Reuters last month reported that the US government plans to launch the framework early next year, citing comments US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo made at a news conference.
At that time, Raimondo said that the framework would not take the form of a traditional trade agreement, emphasizing that it could involve areas such as the digital economy, supply-chain resiliency, infrastructure, export controls and clean energy.
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk said that the US has resolved to deepen cooperation with Taiwan across various economic and commercial issues, ranging from supply chains to emerging technologies.
Without elaborating, Oudkirk said that the AIT intends to establish a business advisory group to provide recommendations to Taiwan and the US on ways to enhance bilateral economic and commercial ties.
Describing Taiwan as a critical security partner, Oudkirk said that bilateral cooperation would increasingly focus on countering cybersecurity threats.
“We must work together to build a culture of cybersecurity that includes business, government, academia and society at large,” she said, adding that good data and reliable information are the foundation of democratic systems and national security.
Established in 1951, AmCham is a business organization representing about 1,000 members from more than 500 US and international companies.
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