High-level visit by State Department's No. 3 could happen by late September

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/09/02
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — United States Undersecretary of State Keith Krach was likely to travel to Taiwan by the end of September to hold trade talks with the island’s government, the Liberty Times reported Wednesday (Sept. 2).

The report follows Taiwan’s decision to end a ban on the import of U.S. pork containing the leanness-enhancing drug ractopamine, beginning Jan. 1, 2021. Krach, who is responsible for economic growth, energy, and the environment, would be the most senior State Department official to visit Taiwan since the two countries severed official diplomatic relations in 1979.

Krach’s trip would form part of a new U.S.-Taiwan Economic and Commercial Dialogue discussed during a videoconference Aug. 31 between Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua (王美花), Taiwan’s representative in Washington Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stillwell.

Krach, described as the State Department’s “Third Hand” by the Liberty Times, had expressed interest to lead the round of talks in Taiwan personally, the paper reported. Preparatory talks to organize the discussions were being handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and by the Department of State and were advancing rapidly, making it possible for Krach to visit in late September, according to the Liberty Times.    [FULL  STORY]