Taiwan and the U.S. Deepen Ties: President Lai Ching-te Seeks Enhanced Trade and Tech Partnerships

Building a Secure and Sustainable Future: Exploring Collaboration in Trade, Technology, and Defense in the Face of Geopolitical Challenges.

Taipei, April 18 – Taiwan is actively pursuing stronger collaborations with the United States in key areas like trade and technology, as highlighted by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) during a recent meeting with a visiting U.S. Congressional delegation.

President Lai emphasized that these collaborations are crucial for both Taiwan and the U.S. to leverage their respective strengths and jointly drive prosperity and development.

Speaking at the Presidential Office in Taipei, the President advocated for a "secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership." He also stressed the importance of collaborating on "non-red supply chains" – manufacturing networks designed to operate independently of Chinese influence – as a way to address geopolitical challenges and combat climate change.

The U.S. delegation, which was in Taiwan from Wednesday to Saturday, focused on security issues in the Taiwan Strait, given the increasing Chinese military activity, including a large-scale joint navy and air force exercise near Taiwan's main island on April 1.

"In the face of rising aggression from Communist China, we will help Taiwan with its self-defense ... We will continue to provide the services and tools that you need to be able to provide for your self-defense," stated U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE).

Senator Ricketts, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Taiwan's defense.

Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Ted Budd (R-NC) also participated in the meeting.

The U.S. is "committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," Senator Ricketts added.

"We want to see peace across the Taiwan Strait; we oppose any unilateral change in the status of Taiwan," he further stated.

Senator Coons added that the U.S. will "be present, will be engaged ... in ensuring that any dispute, any challenges across the Strait will be resolved peacefully and that Taiwan will have the resources it needs for its self-defense."