The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Taiwan on Saturday said it looks forward to collaborating closely with president-elect William Lai’s (賴清德) administration, after the vice president won the presidential election.
AmCham also aims to work toward eliminating trade barriers between the US and Taiwan, as well as improving regulatory and supervisory environments to enhance Taiwan’s competitiveness, the chamber said in a statement.
Faced with global geopolitical changes, Taiwan should seize this golden moment of international goodwill to bolster its economy and firmly establish itself on the international stage, it said.
Photo courtesy of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan
The victory of Lai and his running mate, Hsiao Bi-Khim (蕭美琴) gives the Democratic Progressive Party a mandate to lead Taiwan for the next four years.
“We have confidence in the crucial relationship between the American and Taiwanese people, believing that under the new government’s leadership, this relationship will continue to thrive,” the statement quoted AmCham chairman Dan Silver as saying.
“This not only marks Taiwan’s eighth direct presidential election, but also heralds the fourth decade for Taiwan’s democracy. It reminds us that shared values are the driving force behind the lasting relationship between the people of the United States and Taiwan,” Silver said.
Following the progress made in negotiations under the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade framework last year, the chamber looks forward to the two sides reaching a swift agreement on the remaining areas being negotiated, it said.
“It is our hope that the implementation of the agreements will have a lasting impact, leading to discussions on a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement between Taiwan and the United States,” AmCham said.
It also supports Taiwan and the US signing a double taxation avoidance agreement to facilitate trade and bilateral investment, it said.
AmCham expressed its gratitude to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and her administration for maintaining an open attitude toward industry and issues raised by the chamber over the past eight years.
It encourages the incoming administration to continue robust communication with AmCham, to ensure that international businesses maintain confidence in continuing and expanding their operations and investments in Taiwan, it said.
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