Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/11/26
By: Ku Chuan and Elizabeth Hsu
Taipei, Nov. 26 (CNA) Talks between Taiwan and the United States under the bilateral
Minister without Portfolio John Deng (鄧振中), who also heads the Cabinet’s Office of Trade Negotiations/CNA file photo
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) will likely not be held this year because the U.S. has yet to fill its vacant deputy trade representative posts, a local official has said.
According to Minister without Portfolio John Deng (鄧振中), who also heads the Cabinet’s Office of Trade Negotiations, the talks have been conducted by the two countries’ deputy trade ministers since 2004.
But the three deputy representative positions in the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) office are currently vacant, and while the Donald Trump administration has named people to take those positions they have yet to be confirmed by Congress, Deng said.
Even if the U.S. Congress quickly approves the nominations, “there won’t be time to hold (the TIFA talks) this year,” given the length of time it takes to process the appointments at an administrative level, Deng told CNA. [FULL STORY]