Taiwan Confident it can Sign “High Standard” U.S. Trade Deal

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen told a group of visiting U.S. lawmakers on Thursday (September 8th) that Taiwan is confident of signing a “high standard” trade deal with the U.S. under a new framework.

 Days after Washington and Taipei unveiled the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade in June, the Biden administration excluded the China-intimidated island from its Asia-focused economic plan designed to counter China’s growing influence.

 Tsai told the bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers at a meeting in the presidential office that Taiwan will work with the U.S. to build closer trade and economic ties. “We have already announced that negotiations under the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade will begin soon. We are confident that through this initiative, we can sign a high-standard trade agreement and advance bilateral trade development,” she said.

 Taiwan has long pushed for a broad free trade agreement with the U.S., its most important international supporter and foreign arms supplier, even without formal diplomatic relations.

 Stephanie Murphy, a Democrat from Florida who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, told Tsai that she supported such an agreement. “One of the most important things Congress can do right now is to deepen the economic relationship with Taiwan, and in particular, by pushing for a high-quality free trade agreement between the U.S. and Taiwan,” she said.