President Biden’s declaration during his trip to Asia last month that the United States would defend Taiwan has put the nature of the U.S. relationship with Taiwan back at the center of American foreign policy concerns. This development has fueled further discussion about how, apart from military involvement, the United States can best assist Taiwan….
In a recent online panel hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and joined by AmCham Taiwan President Andrew Wylegala, former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Barbara Weisel put Taiwan’s chances of concluding a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the U.S. at “zero,” at least in the near term. Weisel noted that the appetite in…
The announcement in late September that Taiwan had submitted its formal application to join the 11-member Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) was welcome news to AmCham Taiwan. While one of the Chamber’s chief advocacy goals is the conclusion of a U.S.-Taiwan bilateral trade agreement (BTA), the adjustments Taiwan must undertake to qualify for a…
As Taiwanese companies look to expand their operations and investments in the U.S., Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) has been seeking to support their efforts through close cooperation with the U.S. government to facilitate bilateral economic relations. The Office points to two significant events this year: resumption of high-level trade negotiations with the U.S….
The Biden administration’s announcement that it would resume trade and investment negotiations with Taiwan after a five-year hiatus is a more significant development than some may realize. Since the mid-1990s, the “TIFA talks,” typically held each year, have proven to be a useful vehicle for ironing out policy differences between the two sides and setting the stage…
A weekly snapshot of Taiwan business news stories brought to you by CommonWealth and AmCham Taiwan’s TOPICS Taiwan COVID-19 Update: The Bright and the Bleak The COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan is slowly being brought under control as the island enters its fourth week of Level 3 restrictions. Daily confirmed cases remain in the triple digits…
Reliance on China has never been riskier for Taiwan’s semiconductor sector. Industry giants like TSMC are now investing to increase production capacity in the U.S. as means of threading the needle on the American tech dispute with China. China has long exerted a gravitational pull on Taiwan’s semiconductor industry. The China market’s size, proximity, and…
As newly inaugurated President Joseph R. Biden Jr. took office last month, many questions remained about what direction U.S.-Taiwan relations would take under his leadership. While Biden and his Cabinet picks did espouse strong support for Taiwan policy during his presidential campaign, most observers agree that the opening months of his presidency will mostly be…
Taiwan appears to be making progress in pursuing a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the U.S. September’s visit of Under Secretary of State Keith Krach, while brief, was a strong indication of the U.S. government’s desire to move ahead on strengthening economic relations with Taiwan. Still, a lot of work needs to be done to move…
An annual report lists Taiwan-related trade issues being followed in Washington. Early each year, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) releases a country-by-country Report on Foreign Trade Barriers. The nine-page Taiwan section for 2020 provides a concise statement of the main areas of U.S.-government concern regarding elements of the bilateral trade relationship. Taiwan’s…
