The Executive Yuan announced Feb. 29 that Minister without Portfolio John C. C. Deng met with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and the U.K.’s trade policy minister, Greg Hands, during the World Trade Organization’s 13th Ministerial Conference Feb. 26-29 in Abu Dhabi.
Deng and Tai exchanged views on the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade. They both recognized the negotiators’ work and expressed hope that technical discussions on labor, agriculture and the environment would be expedited.
According to the EY, Deng said that Taiwan encourages like-minded countries to follow the Taiwan-U.S. example and sign international trade agreements with mechanisms to ensure fairness and openness.
Deng also talked with the U.K.’s Hands and voiced appreciation of the trade policy minister’s role in facilitating the Enhanced Trade Partnership. Taiwan regards this pact as a foundation and hopes to proceed with other beneficial issues after negotiations on investment, digital trade and renewable energy and net zero emissions are concluded, Deng added.
In response, Hands said that the U.K. regarded the Enhanced Trade Partnership as a major milestone in the countries’ links and envisioned further swift trade and investment growth. (POC-E)
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