‘Please don’t forget’: Taiwan appeals to US for free-trade deal
- Top trade negotiator John Deng says Taipei is ‘very realistic’ and knows this is not something than can happen in the short term
- ‘Building blocks’ can be established first, according to Deng, who heads to Washington at the end of the month for talks with senior officials
Taiwan’s top trade negotiator appealed to the United States on Tuesday not to forget that the island wants a free-trade deal, but understands this will not happen immediately and is willing to make other agreements first as “building blocks”.
Taiwan’s top trade negotiator, John Deng, who goes to Washington at the end of the month for talks with senior US officials, said in an interview that ultimately what they wanted was a free-trade agreement, even if the US government has put all such negotiations on ice.
“This is our hope, we must speak about this goal clearly, and let more people know this is Taiwan’s aim that we are hoping for,” he said in his office, close to the presidential office in central Taipei.
But Taiwan is “very realistic” and knows this is not something than can be achieved in the short term, Deng added.
“Please don’t forget this is what Taiwan wants. But of course, we understand you can’t move now.”
“Building blocks” can be established first, and then tariffs can be addressed at the end, he said.