TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced the signing of a Taiwan-U.S. memorandum of understanding governing food security on Monday afternoon (June 3).

The signing ceremony was presided over by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S. Director-General Johnson Chiang (姜森) and American Institute in Taiwan Managing Director Ingrid Larson. The agreement is a bilateral mechanism and a platform for dialogue and future exchange involving the public and private sectors, per an MOA press release.

The food security agreement will also discuss strategies to strengthen food security and related trade practices, ensuring that Taiwan can obtain a stable supply of grains from the U.S. In the face of climate change, food security has become an important issue for net food-importing countries such as Taiwan.

According to the MOA, the U.S. continues to be one of the major exporters of grains to Taiwan, sending three million metric tons of soybeans, wheat, and corn in 2023, accounting for 40% of annual domestic grain imports. In the past, the MOA conducted talks about food security with the U.S. through events such as APEC and other international organizations.

The MOA added that global economic conditions and regional military conflicts can further exacerbate food security risks. Furthermore, implementing sustainable agricultural technology and agricultural disaster relief programs can strengthen domestic food production.