US senior commerce envoy Francisco Sanchez begins Taiwan visit

Gradually thawing Taiwan-US relations received a bit more warmth yesterday as Washington sent one of its top trade officials to the island, less than a month after saying that it would grant the island's citizens visa-free entry to the United States.

The US undersecretary of commerce for international trade, Francisco Sanchez, arrived in Taipei for a three-day visit, making him the most senior official from the US Department of Commerce to visit Taiwan since 2002.

"He is visiting Asia to promote President [Barack] Obama's National Travel and Tourism Strategy, in conjunction with Taiwan joining the US' visa waiver programme," the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday.

The institute, which represents the US' interests in the absence of formal diplomatic ties, said Sanchez would promote Obama's National Export Initiative - a four-year plan to double US exports by the end of 2014.

"He will highlight the many opportunities for Taiwan investors in the United States through the newly executed SelectUSA Initiative," the statement said.

Sanchez will take part in four events in Taipei today, including signing a letter of intent on a business co-operation pact with Wang Chih-kang, chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council.