TAIWAN-US TECHNICAL MEET ON TIFA PROGRESS|台美經貿對話 先意見交換無政策決定

A delegation headed by the US Trade Representative Office today held technical consultations with relevant Taiwan officials on economic, trade and investment issues. Analysts who are familiar with the progress of Taiwan-US negotiations have pointed out that the two sides will have the opportunity to enhance economic and trade relations with investment this year. But the key is whether Taiwan will relax the provisions on US cattle and US pork import regulations. On July 16, the meeting between the Executive Yuan and the US Economic and Trade Negotiations Office mission members, concluded. This is the first Taiwan-US trade dialogue after the US President Trump took office. The Executive Yuan's Economic and Trade Negotiation Office said that the meeting noted progress on the implementation of the agenda of last year's Taiwan-US TIFA meeting. This included US concerns about intellectual property rights, investment, pharma products, agriculture, the US pork and beef and other issues. However, but this was a technical exchange of views, and did not touch on policy decisions. The Taiwan presidential office also stressed that Taiwan's position on US pork and beef imports have not changed. ==LIN HE-MING presidential office spokesperson== Our attitude is not problematic. Our attitude has not changed. We have not changed about this. == TSENG HSIEN-CHAO Rep., EY ETNO== In fact, our colleagues exchanged information on these technical issues, so this is not involved, this is related to the level of policy decision. AITsaid that the US delegation came to Taiwan to conduct technical discussions on bilateral trade and investment issues. It will meet with relevant Taiwan officials and continue to work hard to enhance bilateral trade and investment relations. Although the two sides are very low-key, the US International Trade Commission announced on July 25th in its 2016 annual trade report that Taiwan should remove bans on US pork and beef products which contained ractopamine. This reflects that this is an important focus of the talks. ==CHIU JUN-RONG VP, TIER== If the US does not give a little leeway in respect of meat then in future the government will need scientific proof to deal with this and take the same attitude as other international entities and better communicate with the public. Chiu said that the meeting will be an important key to the upgrading of Taiwan-US economic and trade relations this year. At present, there is a big possibility that Taiwan and the US will sign a bilateral investment agreement or BIA , but the Taiwan government may prefer to directly sign a Taiwan-US Free Trade Agreement FTA. Chiu's analysis is that with the current good relations between Taiwan and the United States, the Tsai government intends to grasp opportunities to speed up economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. However, Chiu also admitted that if the United States adheres to making Taiwan relax the US meat import restrictions, it will be a big problem and test of the administration. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 以美國貿易代表署為首的訪問團，今天跟我國相關官員、針對台美經貿以及投資議題、進行技術性協商討論。有熟悉台美談判進度的學者分析指出，雙方今年將有機會提升經貿跟投資關係，不過關鍵還是在、我國是否會放寬美牛、美豬進口規定。 到行政院經貿談判辦公室開會的美國訪問團人員，26日會議結束後出電梯準備離開。這是美國總統川普上任後的首度台美貿易對話，行政院經貿談判辦公室表示，這次會議要盤點去年台美TIFA會議個項議題的執行進度，內容包括美方關切的智慧財產權、投資、醫療藥品、農業、美豬和美牛等議題，不過這次是中階技術性意見交換，不會觸及政策性決定。總統府也強調我國對美豬和美牛進口議題的立場沒有改變。 ==總統府發言人 林鶴明== 我們的態度沒有問題 我們的態度也沒有改變 （沒有問題是指就是這個) 我們對於這樣的態度都沒有改變 == 行政院經貿談判辦公室 談判代表 曾顯照== 其實是工作階層的同仁 在就這些技術性的議題 來做資訊的交換 並沒有涉及到 這個相關的政策決定的層面 AIT美國在台協會表示，美國代表團來台就雙邊重要貿易與投資議題進行技術性討論。將會會見台灣相關官員，並持續努力提升美台雙邊貿易投資關係。雖然雙方都很低調，不過美國國際貿易委員會25日公布2016年度貿易報告，就強調我國應移除美國豬肉及部分牛肉產品禁用瘦肉精的進口相關規定，這反映出這次會談，美豬美牛議題是重要焦點。 ==台灣經濟研究院副院長 邱俊榮== 如果這個美國方面 對於美豬美牛不讓步的話 恐怕未來的政府必定要在 所謂的科學依據上面 怎麼樣去跟國際採取相同的態度 然後來跟民間 做比較好的溝通 恐怕都是必要的事情 邱俊榮透露這次會議將是今年台美經貿關係提升的重要關鍵，以目前進度看來，台美簽署雙邊投資協定BIA機會很大，但我國政府可能更想直接簽署台美自由貿易協定FTA。 邱俊榮分析目前台美關係良好，蔡政府有意把握目前美國政府對我友善的機會，加速兩國經貿合作，不過邱俊榮也坦言，如果美國堅持我國放寬美豬美牛進口限制，將是蔡政府的一大難題與考驗。 記者 張志雄 陳柏諭 陳保羅 台北報導