Taiwan is to send an agricultural delegation to the US in September to make purchases and close the gap in trade between the two countries, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday.
His comments came following weeks of trade conflicts between the US and its economic partners over tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump, who has accused Taiwan of “stealing” the US’ semiconductor industry.
The delegation would consist of ministry officials and agricultural sector representatives, Lin said at an event marking the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Changhua County farmers to buy US-grown corn.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The Executive Yuan deemed it highly important that Taiwan help the US reduce its trade deficit, he said, adding that both stood to gain from facilitating US agricultural exports.
The US has mature agricultural technology, supply chains and a robust agricultural product inspection system, he said.
Taiwan would annually import 120,000 tonnes of corn and other animal feed from the US under the MOU’s terms, he said.
The deal would give the Taiwanese animal husbandry sector a more diverse and stable source of corn fodder and boost sustainability, he said.
Taiwan seeks to create a mutually beneficial and mutually enforced trade partnership with the US for the two countries’ mutual benefit, Lin said.
The government hopes to grow trade with the US for more types of agricultural imports, including digital technology utilized in farming, weather predictions and plant genetics, he said.
The nation is eager to expand other US imports, including applied blockchain technology for tracking an agricultural product’s pace of origin, and education and training for tech-savvy young farmers, he said.
Taiwan’s food security is part of the American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) mission to promote food security, the foundation for peace and security in any nation, AIT Agricultural Section Chief Erich Kuss said.
Liu Yu-fu (劉芸富), managing chairman of the Changhua County-based He Hsin Animal Producers’ Cooperative, said his organization was pleased with the MOU that resulted from its collaboration with the central government.
Hogs with sensitive palates would eat less for two weeks after their feed was switched, he said, adding that stable supply would offset the higher cost of imported US corn.
Taiwan should create a national agriculture team to represent the industry abroad and facilitate its globalization, he added.
The MOU represented a bilateral commitment to food security, growth and mutually beneficial trade beyond formalizing a transaction, Te Lung Trading Co senior export manager Brian Arnold said.
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