The US and Taiwan will hold a new round of talks on their trade agreement on the "21st century", which will start on Monday in Taipei. This was reported by "Reuters", citing the office of the US Trade Representative on Friday.
The talks, led by the Office and the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Mission to the United States, are expected to discuss more complex areas in their negotiating mandate that have not yet been agreed upon in previous rounds of talks, including agriculture, labor , digital commerce, environment, and state-owned enterprises.
The trade talks are not expected to change tariffs on goods, but supporters say the pact will strengthen economic ties between the US and Taiwan, open the island to more US exports and increase Taiwan's ability to resist economic coercion from China.
Beijing condemned the trade talks, as it does with all forms of high-level engagement between the United States and Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its territory. Taiwan strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims, which Beijing is trying to impose on Taipei through increased military action around the island.
The talks are being conducted in line with the United States' One China Policy and the Taiwan Relations Act, which obligates Washington to help provide Taiwan with remedies.
The trade talks are also taking place amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait ahead of the May 20 inauguration of Taiwan's newly elected President Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing considers a dangerous separatist.
In June 2023, the US and Taiwan signed an agreement on the first part of the "US-Taiwan 21st Century Trade Initiative," covering customs and border procedures, anti-corruption regulatory practices, and small business.
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The customs agreement, which allows electronic filing of Taiwanese customs forms and duty payments, is aimed at reducing red tape for US exports to Taiwan.
The US negotiating team will be led by Terry McCartin, Assistant US Trade Representative for China, Mongolia and Taiwan, and will include representatives from other US government agencies.