Focus Taiwan
Date: 11/08/2020
By: Liang Pei-chi and William Yen

Taipei, Nov. 8 (CNA) Negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) between Taiwan and the United States are still likely to go forward despite a change in U.S. presidency, a senior Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) official said Sunday.

The Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) under which Taiwan and the U.S. hold formal talks on trade is an important catalyst for the BTA and has a high chance resuming, said MOEA Deputy Minister Chen Chern-chyi (陳正祺).

Chen pointed to Taiwan's recent announcement that it would ease restrictions on imports of U.S. pork containing a controversial leanness enhancing drug.

Washington has long criticized Taiwan's zero-tolerance policy for ractopamine in pigs as an impediment to trade, and as a result of this, it has not held formal talks on trade with Taiwan through the TIFA framework since October 2016.    [FULL  STORY]