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US-Taiwan

The discussion around a possible bilateral free trade agreement between Taiwan and the US has been drawn out for years, with Taiwan requesting and the US acting lukewarm toward the idea.

At stake in any kind of bilateral trade or investment deal here is, first and foremost, the political standing of Taiwan vis-a-vis China and the rest of world. An FTA with Washington would amount to US recognition of Taiwan’s sovereignty and independence from China. This goes against Chinese policy and could trigger military action. The US adheres to Beijing’s "one China" policy while it maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan.

The economics of a potential deal are another story. Taiwan is the US’ eighth largest trading partner, and sixth largest importer of US agricultural goods, and wants its own terms of access to US markets. But the US insists that the actual benefits of an FTA for Taiwan would not be important, even though Washington constantly pressures Taiwan to improve its policies on electronic commerce, government procurement, intellectual property, food safety and US beef for the benefit of American corporations.

In the meantime, the two governments, through their respective proxy agencies, signed a sort of Trade and Investment Framework Agreement in 1994 and conduct discussions through the TIFA Council.

last update: May 2012
Photo: munch999/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0


Former US representative: Beef row could delay FTA
A former US representative to Taiwan says the row over US beef could delay possible talks for a US-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Former American Institute in Taiwan Director Douglas Paal was speaking in Washington DC on Thursday.
Taiwan’s Ma eyes trade agreement with US: report
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou has voiced hopes of reaching a free-trade agreement with the United States following a decision by the island to allow more US beef imports, a report said Wednesday.
U.S. beef decision not linked to trade agreement goal: vice premier
Taiwan’s decision to relax its restrictions against U.S. beef imports has nothing to do with any attempt to resume trade talks with the United States under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) , Vice Premier Eric Lilun Chu said Monday.
US, Taiwan may resume trade talks this year
US-Taiwan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) talks are expected to be resumed by the end of this year now that the issue of beef imports from the US has been resolved, Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang said Friday.
US mulls trade pact with Taiwan
US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is urging US Trade Representative Ron Kirk to promptly resume negotiations with Taiwan for a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and for a US-Taiwan bilateral investment agreement. The negotiations were broken off last year by the US in retaliation for Taiwan’s restrictions on the import of US beef.
Cross-strait trade pact could aid FTA talks with US: Taiwan’s rep
If Taiwan signs an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, this would definitely contribute to future negotiations with the United States on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), Taiwan’s representative to Washington, D.C. said Wednesday.
ECFA separate from any similar U.S. plan, says AIT
A potential free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and Taiwan would have no direct link to Taiwan’s proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, according to a senior U.S. official in Taipei.
US senators write to Taiwan President Ma over meat trade issue
Two influential American senators have written to Republic of China President Ma Ying-jeou expressing "deep concern" about what they describe as "continued Taiwanese barriers to US agricultural products." Taiwan allows only imports of US boneless beef from cattle under 30 months of age because of concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease.
Beef import takes precedent over other U.S.-Taiwan issues: MOFA
The promotion of bilateral economic and trade talks between Taiwan and the United States will be hampered if the issue of a comprehensive opening of the Taiwan market to U.S. beef is not resolved, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday.
Ma: better ties with China needed for FTA with the US
Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou says the government should improve ties with China first if Taiwan wants to sign a free trade agreement with the US.