The Executive Yuan today denied rumors that Taiwan’s tariff negotiating team was only holding discussions via video-call by releasing photos showing discussions taking place in-person.
Since the start of tariff negotiations, the US and Taiwan have held four rounds of in-person meetings, all of which took place at the office of the US Trade Representative starting at 9am and continuing late into the evening, the Executive Yuan’s Taiwan-US Economic and Trade Working Group said.
Each person attending must be approved by both sides, including chief negotiators and lawyers, the group said.
Photo courtesy of the Executive Yuan
Representative to the US Alexander Yui (俞大㵢) accompanied the team to the meetings, alongside experts and representatives from relevant ministries to discuss issues including tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers and economic resiliency, it said.
During each in-person meeting, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), the delegation’s leader, and Minister Without Portfolio Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮), head of the Executive Yuan’s Office of Trade Negotiations, met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for general discussions on key issues, the group said.
Cheng has also met with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to discuss Section 232 tariffs, which authorize the US president to implement tariffs to protect national security, it said.
The delegation has also had joint meetings with Greer and Lutnick, it added.
Yang has held pre-session meetings with her US counterparts to discuss the meeting’s agenda, while Taiwanese and US officials would communicate outside meeting hours to discuss more technical issues and avoid disrupting the agenda, the group said.
Details of trade negotiations would not be revealed until after an agreement is finalized, it said.
The group explained that both sides are operating under a confidentiality agreement, agreeing not to disclose details so as to avoid influencing the outcome, although both sides do issue news releases that outline the scope of the meeting and individuals present.
This is the first time that photos of the meeting have been released to the public, it added.
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