Officials from the U.S. Biden administration plan to hold an interim meeting next week with representatives from the Taiwanese government and related industries to discuss issues related to the supply chain. The U.S. side is expected to ask Taiwan‘s chip makers to expand the supply of chips vital to U.S. automakers at a Time when the world is facing a shortage of automotive chip supplies. Beijing responded that China is firmly opposed to any form of official exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan.
Taiwan confirms it will hold dialogue with the U.S.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) confirmed Friday (Jan. 29) that Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Meihua will hold a video conference with the U.S. side on Feb. 5, Taiwan time, to discuss issues related to the supply chain, and that representatives from Taiwan’s industry will also attend the dialogue. The Ministry of Economic Affairs did not mention the specific meeting schedule or the final list of participants.
The news was first reported by Bloomberg News. The video conference, scheduled for Feb. 4 U.S. time, will be one of the most high-profile meetings between the newly appointed Biden Administration officials and Taiwanese officials, the report said. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Murray and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Richard Steffens will participate in the meeting. Executives from Taiwan’s largest chip maker TSMC (TSMC) and MediaTek Inc. will also participate in the discussions centered on addressing the global shortage of automotive chips.
TSMC pledged last week to reallocate production capacity to support the global automotive industry. As for the reasons for the shortage of automotive chips, some analysts believe it is due to a lack of visionary planning and an underestimation of the rebound in automotive demand following the New coronavirus outbreak, while others believe it is caused by chipmakers prioritizing higher volume and more lucrative consumer electronics like smartphones.
The U.S. side has not yet made an announcement about the meeting. A spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department would not comment.
Taiwan Representative to the U.S.: Supply Chain Security an Important Part of U.S.-Taiwan Economic Partnership Dialogue
Supply chain security is an important part of the U.S.-Taiwan economic partnership dialogue launched last November, Taiwan’s representative to the U.S., Mei-Chin Hsiao, said in an interview with the Voice of America on Friday. The U.S. official who initiated the dialogue was Keith Krach, deputy secretary of state in the Trump administration.
“We have not been idle since last November’s discussions. We’ve been organizing working groups to follow up on those discussions. One of those working group discussions will come in February in the form of a continuing dialogue between industry and government. We are very much looking forward to this discussion. This is such an important area for our economy, especially in the post-Epidemic recovery phase,” Hsiao said.
The Taiwan representative to the U.S. believes it is important for the U.S. and Taiwan to identify complementary areas in which they can work together and support each other.
Beijing: Opposes U.S.-Taiwan official exchanges
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference in Beijing Friday that he was not aware of the meeting, but that Beijing “firmly opposes any form of official contacts between the United States and Taiwan.
Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai also issued a warning about the U.S. approach to Taiwan at an online dialogue on U.S.-China relations on Wednesday evening (Jan. 27). He said it is dangerous for the U.S. to deal with Taiwan with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances.
During the Trump presidency, U.S.-Taiwan relations have been significantly enhanced, including the signing of several Taiwan-related bills. On the eve of his departure, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the lifting of self-imposed restrictions on U.S. engagement with Taiwan. Taipei expressed “sincere welcome and appreciation” while Beijing expressed “strong condemnation.
Biden Administration: U.S. Commitment to Taiwan is Rock Solid
Over the weekend, the Chinese military sent a total of 28 military aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone for two consecutive days, giving what Beijing called a “stern warning” to “external forces.
Ned Price, a State Department spokesman for the new Biden administration, issued a statement on Saturday (Jan. 23) urging China to stop its military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan and to engage in dialogue with Taiwan’s elected representatives.
He said the U.S. will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining adequate self-defense capabilities and said the U.S. commitment to Taiwan is rock-solid.
Secretary of State Blinken also previously emphasized during Senate hearings on his nomination that the United States has a nonpartisan commitment to Taiwan’s security.
He said, “There is a strong and longstanding bipartisan commitment to Taiwan: the Taiwan Relations Act and the U.S.-China Communiqué. Part of that commitment is to ensure that Taiwan is capable of defending itself against aggression. The Biden administration is absolutely committed to sustaining that commitment. We will make sure that Taiwan is capable of doing that.”
U.S. and Chinese leaders have yet to engage
President Biden has spoken with U.S. allies in Europe and Asia since taking office, but so far has not had any kind of contact with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The incoming secretary of state and secretary of defense have also spoken by phone with their counterparts in allies and partners, but the new cabinet members have not yet spoken with Beijing.
Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai confirmed at that dialogue that there have been no discussions on such contacts and communications. He added that Biden had just been inaugurated a week ago and that perhaps both sides needed to be a little more patient.
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