US politician Henry Hyde has been fighting for Taiwan despite closer and closer US-China ties. His final advice before retirement? Negotiate an FTA between Taiwan and the US; it would have both economic and security benefits for both parties. Now that we think about it, its surprising that this hasn't already happened. Perhaps there's some political pressure on the US administration from China.
In one of his last official acts as chairman of the US House International Relations Committee, Henry Hyde, one of Taiwan's leading champions in Congress, has urged the administration of US President George W. Bush to begin talks on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Taiwan "as soon as possible."
In a letter to US Trade Representative Susan Schwab made public on Wednesday, Hyde said: "Swift movement toward this goal would advance our mutual economic and security interests."
"While it promotes economic growth, an FTA would also bolster Taiwan's democracy and its role as a model for other Asian nations seeking to build democratic institutions and further the rule of law," Hyde wrote.
"In addition, enhanced trade relations would prevent Taiwan from being marginalized by regional FTA's to which it is not a member," he wrote.
Too bad it looks like the US won't be moving on this any time soon.
[Dec 2005] A ranking U.S. Trade Representative Office (USTR) official said Tuesday it is not likely that the United States and Taiwan will be able to reach a free trade agreement within the next couple of years as talks on many bilateral trade issues have yet to be completed. ...
Taiwan has been working hard toward signing a free trade agreement with the United States, and several U.S. congressmen have requested recently that the Bush administration accelerate its steps towards the establishment of a free trade accord with Taiwan.
And Taiwan is more than willing.
Vice Economics Minister Chen Ruey-long, visiting the United States to promote the idea, called a bilateral pact a "logical next step" between partners that recorded $57 billion in two-way trade last year. Washington has yet to embrace a trade pact with Taiwan.
Such a trade deal would give U.S. firms greater access to Taipei's market for financial services, telecommunications, transportation and health care, Chen said. He cited studies estimating that annual U.S. exports to Taiwan would rise between $3.4 and $6.6 billion under an free-trade agreement, or FTA.
Let's just hope that the US gathers the political will to make this happen. Pandering to China regarding Taiwan seems very short sighted. Better to have an ultra loyal, dynamic democratic nation, of chinese people, as a beacon right off the coast of China.
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