U.S. proposes cooperative agricultural, environmental initiatives with Taiwan

Washington, April 5 (CNA) The United States is looking to expand cooperation with Taiwan in the field of agriculture, among other areas, with the aim of improving food security and sustainability, according to a summary of the ongoing negotiations under the Taiwan-U.S. 21st Century Trade Initiative, released Friday.

During the talks with Taiwan, the U.S. side made a slew of proposals for bilateral cooperation in fields such as fair trade, labor, environmental protection, and agriculture, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) said in press release.

The U.S. has "proposed a broad set of provisions designed to open or expand opportunities for American agricultural producers to access the Taiwan market, to advance food security, and to promote sustainable agricultural production," the USTR said.

The proposed provisions, it said, are aimed at increasing transparency and regulatory certainty for agricultural exporters and importers, as well as at encouraging collaboration and innovation in areas such as sustainability and food security.

The proposal also includes "cooperative efforts to promote innovation, fair trade, and individualized approaches to advance environmental goals," the USTR said.

On the environmental front, the U.S. has put forth some provisions aimed at meaningfully contributing to environmental protection and responding to common sustainability challenges, including climate change, the USTR said.

Taiwan and the U.S. are committed to continuing efforts to improve environmental protection and to effectively enforce their respective environmental laws, according to the press release.

The two sides have also pledged not to weaken or reduce the protections already afforded in their domestic environmental laws in an effort to attract trade or investment, the USTR said.

Meanwhile, the proposals on labor include provisions and initiatives that will benefit workers and ensure free and fair trade, thus contributing to the promotion of sustainable and inclusive growth for the U.S. and Taiwan, the press release said.

According to the USTR, the summary of the ongoing talks was released in accordance with U.S. President Joe Biden administration's commitment to transparency in trade agreement negotiations.

The Taiwan-U.S. 21st Century Trade Initiative was launched in 2022 under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S.

In June 2023, the two sides signed the first pact under the initiative, agreeing to customs administration and trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, domestic regulation of services, anticorruption, and matters relating to small and medium-sized enterprises.

After holding in-person negotiations last August, the two sides are currently working towards a second agreement, which they hope will cover other areas of economic importance.

According to a Taiwanese official familiar with the matter, a new round of in-person talks is expected to be held in Taipei, but the exact date has not yet been confirmed.