《TAIPEI TIMES》 US officials call for improved tech ties

CHINA CONCERNS: Support of Taiwan would show democracies in the Indo-Pacific that the US would protect the interests of its allies, US Senator James Risch said

By Chang Ling-chu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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US President Joe Biden should enhance cooperation with Taiwan to counter China’s attempts to seize control of global trade, US lawmakers said at a tech forum in Seattle this week.

The event, titled “New Horizon: Taiwan-US Cooperation on the NextGen Digital Technology,” was organized by the US-based National Bureau of Asian Research think tank and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office （TECRO）, Taiwan’s de facto diplomatic mission to the US.

The Biden administration should do more to bolster ties with Taiwan, which is a key US partner in the research and development of next-generation technologies being menaced by China, US Senator James Risch, a Republican, told the forum on Thursday.

A strong show of support for Taiwan would demonstrate to the alliance of democracies in the Indo-Pacific region that the US would protect the interests of its allies, he said.

US Representative Suzan DelBene, a Democrat, promoted the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, saying that the framework is needed at a time when Beijing is attempting to write trade rules for totalitarianism.

Washington Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, a Democrat, thanked Taiwan for sending COVID-19 aid to his state and investments from its tech firms, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co （台積電）.

Technology cooperation benefits both parties and his state recently passed legislation in support of Taiwan, Heck said.

Opportunities for technology cooperation between Taiwan and the US are expected to steadily increase, National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin （龔明鑫） said.

The immediate priorities for Taiwan-US technological cooperation were clarified in the White House’s latest “National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies” document, he said.

The two countries could start joint research projects as soon as possible in fields such as next-generation semiconductors, the artificial intelligence of things and 5G networks, he said.

Taipei is happy to see that bilateral economic ties are being developed by more than 4,000 enterprises that conduct business between the two countries, Overseas Community Affairs Council Minister Tung Chen-yuan （童振源） told the forum in a video recording.

Daniel Chen （甄國清）, director-general of TECRO in Seattle, said that his office plans to broaden existing collaborations with Washington state in information technology and semiconductor research to include exchanges of low-orbit satellite and 6G network technology.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES