Better Approach to Economic Relations Between U.S./Taiwan

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) recently announced it would begin formal trade negotiations with Taiwan. The negotiating mandate lays out 11 different areas for negotiation, ranging from trade facilitation to labor and the environment. Middlebury College professor Dr. Gary Winslett had a comprehensive Twitter thread in response to the substance of the announcement, most of which I agree with. Like the Biden administration’s Indo‐​Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), market access (i.e., tariff elimination/​reduction) is notably absent from the Taiwan announcement, which is regrettable. For myriad reasons, the United States needs a bold and affirmative Asia‐​Pacific trade and investment agenda. Neither IPEF nor the Taiwan negotiations are up to the task. Read Full Article »