While Taiwan has not been included in the new US-led Indo-Pacific economic initiative, the economic and trade relationship between Taipei and Washington would only deepen, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) told a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee yesterday.
“There is definitely something new” that the two sides can work out to strengthen bilateral relations, Wang said, adding that Taiwan has received majority support in the US Senate and House of Representatives.
Wang cited US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s remarks on Sunday that even though Taiwan had not been invited to join the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), Washington still expects to deepen its economic relationship with Taipei, especially on issues related to semiconductors and supply chains.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
She added that a meeting between Minister Without Portfolio John Deng (鄧振中) and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai (戴琪) in Bangkok on Friday paved the way for the two sides to deepen their economic relationship, adding that the pair is to meet again in the coming weeks for further discussions.
US President Joe Biden formally launched the IPEF in Tokyo yesterday, with the US, Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam as members. Neither Taiwan nor China were included.
Taiwan’s exclusion has raised concerns from ruling and opposition lawmakers.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) said the US has always encouraged Taiwan to participate in international organizations, and yet Washington did not invite Taipei to join the IPEF, even after more than 50 US senators wrote Biden a letter urging him to include Taiwan.
There should be concrete measures to deepen Taiwan-US relations, she said, adding that the government should express to the US Taiwan’s determination to join the framework.
New Power Party Legislator Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) asked Wang if it would be possible for Taiwan to join the economic initiative in the next round for new members, with the minister responding: “We are very willing to join.”
Chiu said that Taiwan has to be prepared to join the IPEF by setting up an economic security system, such as establishing a reserve mechanism for important materials and ensuring the stability of local infrastructure to meet its goals.
On their Facebook pages, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) asked the government to express its serious concerns to the US about Taiwan’s exclusion, while Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Chiu Chen-yuan (邱臣遠) asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formulate specific strategies for the nation’s future IPEF membership.
Additional reporting by CNA
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