Digital Economy Forum with the U.S.

The U.S. and Taiwan governments are preparing to enter into a new area of cooperation with the holding of a one-day bilateral Digital Economy Forum on December 2 in Taipei.

The conference will be attended by specialists from the two governments, with the U.S. delegation expected to be led by Ambassador Daniel A. Sepulveda, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy in the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. In that capacity, he leads and coordinates the Department’s positions on communications and information policy issues. His counterpart of the Taiwan side will be National Development Council Minister Duh Tyzz-Jiun, supported by Minister without Portfolio Jaclyn Tsai.

Plans for the Forum were first announced last April during the visit to Taiwan of Charles H. Rivkin, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs. According to the American Institute in Taiwan website, the initiative will provide an opportunity to “deepen our partnership and promote closer coordination and knowledge exchange on our policies and goals in this area.” The website statement notes that “the United States and Taiwan share an interest in promoting the open Internet, the free flow of data across borders, expanded access and adoption of ICTs (information and communication technologies), and the further development of the global digital economy.”

The United States has previously held similar dialogues with Japan, Korea, China, the European Union, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).