Joseph Wu Welcomes U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to WTO, Calls for Deepening Taiwan-U.S. Trade Cooperation

Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu hosted David Bisbee, the U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), yesterday, expressing gratitude for his long-standing support of Taiwan's participation in WTO matters. Wu stated that he hopes for continued deepening of bilateral trade and investment cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S., aiming to build safer and more resilient supply chains.

In a Facebook post last night, Wu noted that he met with Bisbee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, thanking him for his consistent support of Taiwan's engagement in WTO affairs. He particularly highlighted U.S. assistance during the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) held in Cameroon, where Taiwan faced clear political interference. Wu expressed appreciation for the U.S. efforts in actively communicating with Cameroon and the WTO Secretariat to safeguard Taiwan’s fundamental rights as a full WTO member.

Wu shared that during his visit to Switzerland this past May, he specifically visited the World Trade Institute (WTI) at the University of Bern and announced the government's donation to establish the 'Penglai Scholarship,' encouraging students from Taiwan and developing countries to engage in research on international trade and economic issues.

Wu pointed out that international trade today is vastly different from the past. Amid trends such as the digital economy, supply chain restructuring, and de-risking, economic development is increasingly intertwined with national security. Trade and investment among democratic nations are no longer merely commercial activities—'trust' has become a crucial foundation for international relations.

Wu explained that Taiwan and the U.S. have successively signed the 'Taiwan-U.S. Equitable Trade Agreement' and the 'Taiwan-U.S. Investment Memorandum' this year. Following the Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD), both sides signed the 'Silicon Serenity Declaration' and the 'Joint Statement on Taiwan-U.S. Economic Security Cooperation,' affirming that Taiwan and the U.S. are key elements of each other's economic security and demonstrating their shared determination to build a 'symbiotic partnership' on this foundation.

Wu emphasized that the United States is Taiwan's most important partner in trade, technology, and security. He expressed hope for continued deepening of bilateral trade and investment cooperation, building more secure and resilient supply chains, and jointly safeguarding democracy, promoting innovation, and creating prosperity in an era of change.