US’ trade talks with Taiwan authorities ‘ lack substance’

Economic officials from the US and Taiwan island held their first meeting on Monday ( US time) under the “US- Taiwan Initiative on 21stCentury Trade,” exchanging views over “an ambitious roadmap of negotiation” to further deepen economic and trade ties.

Although Taiwan- based media said both sides agreed that the 4- hour communication was “effective and constructive” to the next stage of work, there’s almost no substance that could draw attention from Chinese mainland analysts, who believe that such an initiative is motivated by political antagonism against the mainland than economic mutual benefits.

China firmly opposes all forms of official interaction between the Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic ties with China, including negotiating or concluding agreements with implications of sovereignty and of official nature, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday.

The spokesperson reiterated the fact that Taiwan is part of China and urged the US to abide by the one- China principle in action and stop its official exchanges with Taiwan authorities and refrain from sending any wrong signal to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.

According to an official statement released by the Office of the US Trade Representative ( USTR), deputy US Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi met virtually with John Deng, the island’s chief trade negotiator who contracted COVID- 19 in Mexico and was under quarantine on Monday.

Wang Jianmin, a senior cross- Straits expert at Minnan Normal University, said the absence of market access and tariffs in the initiative, the two most critical issues, has greatly stamped out the substantive significance and effect of the initiative.

“It was promoted by the Biden administration without congressional authorization, which means there are uncertainties in practical field that concern Congress,” Wang told the Global Times on Tuesday.