US-China relations: Taiwan trade deal on Donald Trump’s radar, American lawmaker says
- Republican group led by Michael McCaul says talks with Taipei would be an ‘important foreign policy statement to make’ and help hold Beijing accountable for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak
- Taiwan has long sought a free-trade agreement with the US, its most important supporter on the international stage
“It is very much on their radar screen,” McCaul said when asked if the Trump administration and its top trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, would pursue a deal.
“I don’t think that Lighthizer has 100 per cent approved it, but … it is one of the options on the table for them and I think a recommendation coming from the task force would carry a lot of weight.”
The proposal is one of 400 recommendations outlined in a report set to be released later on Wednesday by the task force.
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Last month, Taiwan paved the way for an eventual deal by announcing an easing of restrictions on the import of US beef and pork that is expected to go into effect on January 1.
Taiwan-US trade last year was worth US$85.5 billion, with the US running a US$23.1 billion deficit. Taiwan was the United States’ 14th-biggest export market in 2019.
Like most countries, the US has no official relations with Taiwan, which Beijing regards as part of its sovereign territory.