TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A round of talks planned for this weekend in Taipei under the United States-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade was likely to produce at least partial results amid the rising threat from China, reports said Thursday (Jan. 12).
The first round took place Nov. 8-9 in New York City, with the second round scheduled for Jan. 14-17 in the Taiwanese capital. China’s bullying of Taiwan has focused global attention on the latter country’s key role in the world economy, supplying 90% of semiconductors now used in products from phones and computers to cars, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Subjects to be discussed during the latest round included measures against corruption, trade by small and medium enterprises, and discussions about the contents of a final Taiwan-U.S. trade agreement, the Liberty Times reported.
According to U.S. sources, the 21st Century Trade Initiative might produce quicker results than the 14-nation Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which did not include Taiwan.