Taiwan’s chief trade negotiator, Minister Without Portfolio Jenni Yang (楊珍妮), on Thursday said that the nation would continue advancing a trade deal with the US under the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump.
Taiwan remains optimistic about furthering the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, despite a pause in negotiations due to the transition to the new administration, Yang told reporters at the APEC summit in Lima.
Taiwan is preparing to review regulations before entering a new round of negotiations, which would cover issues including agriculture, labor and the environment, she said.
Photo: CNA
“These issues are inherently difficult to negotiate,” she said, adding that hopefully Trump’s administration would continue discussions on the second phase of talks following the signing of the first agreement by both sides in June last year.
The initial agreement, expected to take effect by the end of this year, includes customs administration and trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, policies to combat corruption, and promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises.
However, concerns have arisen regarding Taiwan’s trade relationship with the US after Trump, whose rhetoric suggests opposition to global trade, won the US presidential election on Nov. 5.
Yang, who is part of Taiwan’s APEC delegation, met with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai (戴琪) on the sidelines of the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Wednesday.
A statement issued by Tai’s office said that both sides highlighted the importance of economic and trade ties during the meeting.
Yang and Tai also discussed progress made through the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, as well as their work together at the APEC forum and other multilateral organizations, including the WTO, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s envoy to APEC, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks in Lima on Thursday ahead of the bloc’s Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
Lin arrived in the Peruvian capital on Wednesday with the Taiwanese delegation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The two discussed ways to continue improving the bilateral partnership, and ensuring regional peace and stability, while exchanging views on issues such as promoting the development of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the region, the ministry said.
Blinken posted a photograph of the two shaking hands on social media and wrote that their talks touched upon “our growing economic relationship and our enduring shared commitment to foster an open, dynamic and peaceful Indo-Pacific.”
Lin — chairman of Taiwania Capital Management Corp (台杉投資管理), a government-funded venture capital firm, and a senior adviser to President William Lai (賴清德) — was to take part in the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting yesterday and today as Taiwan’s envoy, a role he has had before.
The meeting was expected to be attended by US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, among other heads of government.
APEC is one of the few inter-governmental pacts in which Taiwan has full membership, but it still sends special envoys in place of its president to the annual event due to pressure from China.
PLA MANEUVERS: Although Beijing has yet to formally announce military drills, its coast guard vessels have been spotted near and around Taiwan since Friday The Taiwanese military is on high alert and is closely monitoring the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) air and naval deployments after Beijing yesterday reserved seven airspace areas east of its Zhejiang and Fujian provinces through Wednesday. Beijing’s action was perceived as a precursor to a potential third “Joint Sword” military exercise, which national security experts said the PLA could launch following President William Lai’s (賴清德) state visits to the nation’s three Pacific allies and stopovers in Hawaii and Guam last week. Unlike the Joint Sword military exercises in May and October, when Beijing provided detailed information about the affected areas, it
CHINA: The activities come amid speculation that Beijing might launch military exercises in response to Lai’s recent visit to Pacific allies The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday said China had nearly doubled the number of its warships operating around the nation in the previous 24 hours, ahead of what security sources expect would be a new round of war games. China’s military activities come amid speculation Beijing might organize military drills around the nation in response to President William Lai’s (賴清德) recent visit to Pacific allies, including stops in Hawaii and Guam, a US territory. Lai returned from the week-long trip on Friday night. Beijing has held two rounds of war games around Taiwan this year, and sends ships and military planes
Five flights have been arranged to help nearly 2,000 Taiwanese tourists return home from Okinawa after being stranded due to cruise ship maintenance issues, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced yesterday. China Airlines Ltd (中華航空), and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) have arranged five flights with a total of 748 additional seats to transport 1,857 passengers from the MSC Bellissima back to Taiwan, the ministry said. The flights have been scheduled for yesterday and today by the Civil Aviation Administration, with the cruise operator covering all associated costs. The MSC Bellissima, carrying 4,341 passengers, departed from Keelung on Wednesday last week for Okinawa,
US president-elect Donald Trump said he would “never say” if Washington is committed to defending Taiwan from China, but “I would prefer that they do not do it [ an attack],” adding that he has a “good relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). “I never say because I have to negotiate things, right?” Trump said in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press host Kristen Welker after saying he would not reveal his incoming administration’s stance on Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. Asked the question again, Trump, in a reference to China, said: “I would prefer that they
RSS