Taiwanese and US representatives yesterday wrapped up the latest round of in-person trade talks in Taipei, but did not succeed in inking any agreements, Minister Without Portfolio and top negotiator John Deng (鄧振中) told a media briefing.
“The two sides gained better understanding of bilateral rules and differences on issues regarding labor rights protection, trading of agricultural products and environment protection,” Deng said.
The two sides needed more time to clarify details before working out a pact in line with the second phase of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, Deng said.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan is seeking access to the US market for its mangoes and pineapples, as well as pork floss and sausage, Deng said.
There is a great need of new export destinations for these two fruits due to pressure from China, he said.
“Exports of agricultural products require complicated and longstanding negotiations… It took a decade for Taiwan’s guava to enter the US market,” he said.
Washington is pushing for relaxed regulations for its pork imports, an issue Taiwan prefers not to address until after the political transition on May 20 given its controversial nature, Deng said.
Taiwan’s mangoes and pineapples do not raise any food safety concerns, while Taiwanese are concerned about US pork products with ractopamine, the official said.
US negotiators believe Taiwan holds unnecessarily high standards regarding pork products, he said.
Labor protection dominates the trade talks and the two sides agree that flows of products made by forced labor must be stopped and they should be removed from shelves, Deng said.
The US is highly sensitive about products allegedly made by prisoners abroad.
Taiwan agrees with the US regarding the need to ban such products, but the nation would need more legal experts and inspectors to detect human rights violations, Deng said.
The US delegates consisted of more than 20 trade negotiators and observers from the US Congress, as the matter involves administrative and lawmaking processes, Deng said.
The two sides also reached an agreement on the importance of transparency and public participation in environmental protection so that public support can be gained for initiatives regarding the issue, Deng said.
In the past, such bilateral talks were held privately and caused public distrust or protests from civic groups, he said.
The five-day talks did not touch on the energy mix issue, but both sides agreed that they should make efforts to reduce carbon emissions, Deng said.
Washington is fully aware that there will be power transition in Taiwan later this month, but pressed ahead with the talks in part to show its respect and recognition of policy continuity, Deng said.
The two sides are to conduct more video conferences, he added.
The Philippines is working behind the scenes to enhance its defensive cooperation with Taiwan, the Washington Post said in a report published on Monday. “It would be hiding from the obvious to say that Taiwan’s security will not affect us,” Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro Jr told the paper in an interview on Thursday last week. Although there has been no formal change to the Philippines’ diplomatic stance on recognizing Taiwan, Manila is increasingly concerned about Chinese encroachment in the South China Sea, the report said. The number of Chinese vessels in the seas around the Philippines, as well as Chinese
URBAN COMBAT: FIM-92 Stinger shoulder-fired missiles from the US made a rare public appearance during early-morning drills simulating an invasion of the Taipei MRT The ongoing Han Kuang military exercises entered their sixth day yesterday, simulating repelling enemy landings in Penghu County, setting up fortifications in Tainan, laying mines in waters in Kaohsiung and conducting urban combat drills in Taipei. At 5am in Penghu — part of the exercise’s first combat zone — participating units responded to a simulated rapid enemy landing on beaches, combining infantry as well as armored personnel. First Combat Zone Commander Chen Chun-yuan (陳俊源) led the combined armed troops utilizing a variety of weapons systems. Wang Keng-sheng (王鏗勝), the commander in charge of the Penghu Defense Command’s mechanized battalion, said he would give
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
‘REALISTIC’ APPROACH: The ministry said all the exercises were scenario-based and unscripted to better prepare personnel for real threats and unexpected developments The army’s 21st Artillery Command conducted a short-range air defense drill in Taoyuan yesterday as part of the Han Kuang exercises, using the indigenous Sky Sword II (陸射劍二) missile system for the first time in the exercises. The armed forces have been conducting a series of live-fire and defense drills across multiple regions, simulating responses to a full-scale assault by Chinese forces, the Ministry of National Defense said. The Sky Sword II missile system was rapidly deployed and combat-ready within 15 minutes to defend Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in a simulated attack, the ministry said. A three-person crew completed setup and