Taiwan and the US are to hold talks under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) next month at the earliest, Minister of Economic Affairs John Deng (鄧振中) said on Wednesday.
The issue of US pork would not be included on the agenda, but Taipei and Washington have continued to communicate with each other on the issue, albeit on a small scale, Deng added.
Taiwan maintains a ban on imports of US pork that contain traces of ractopamine, a banned leanness-enhancing drug.
It is understood that the US wants to place the issue of access of its agricultural products to Taiwan as a top priority on the agenda, while Taiwan wants to discuss issues related to its bid to join the US-proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the inking of a bilateral investment agreement.
Taiwan previously prohibited imports of beef containing ractopamine, but lifted the ban in July 2012, setting the stage for the resumption of TIFA talks in March 2013. The talks, originally set to take place in April this year, were delayed because the US was focusing its trade negotiation efforts on finalizing TPP negotiations.
Taiwan needs to join the TPP, Deng said, adding that if a trade in goods agreement with China could be passed, it would help the nation’s bid to join the partnership.
Deng made the comments while speaking at the Third Wednesday Club, a group of business leaders who meet on the third Wednesday of every month.
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