The United States has declared that it will begin formal trade negotiations with Taiwan, weeks after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial trip there.
The first round of negotiations is planned to begin “early in the fall,” according to the U.S. Trade Representative’s office.
They will discuss trade facilitation, internet commerce, and anti-corruption regulations.
Since Ms. Pelosi’s visit, relations between the United States and China have become tenser.
The US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade was introduced in June, and both parties now claim to have “reached an accord on the negotiation mandate.”
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi said in a statement, “We want to pursue an ambitious agenda… that will help construct a fairer, more affluent, and more resilient economy for the 21st century.”
In 2020, trade between the United States and Taiwan was valued at approximately $106 billion (£88 billion).
After Ms. Pelosi’s travel to Taiwan in early August, China started its largest-ever military drills near the island.
Under the “One China policy,” the United States recognizes and has formal ties with China rather than the island of Taiwan, but maintains a “strong unofficial” relationship with Taiwan, which includes continuous military shipments to Taiwan for its defense.
Beijing views the autonomous island as an entity that must be reunited with the mainland.
Taiwan, however, is a self-governing island that considers itself distinct from the mainland.
Separately on Thursday, Daniel Kritenbrink, the top US ambassador for East Asia, stated that Beijing’s “increasing coercion…threatens the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait.”
In the face of Beijing’s continuous efforts to undermine peace and stability, the United States would continue to assist Taiwan by its longstanding policy, he added.
