Congressional Taiwan Caucus Statement on President Tsai's Easing of Restrictions on U.S. Pork and Beef Imports

Statement

Today, Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Steve Chabot (R-OH), co-chairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, released the following statement after President Tsai's announcement regarding the proposal to lift Taiwan's current restrictions on U.S. pork and beef imports.

"As Co-Chairs of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, we welcome President Tsai's decision to revise Taiwan's restrictions on U.S. pork and beef imports that have long impeded trade negotiations between our two countries," the members said. "In the face of an aggressive People's Republic of China, we believe that such an agreement is increasingly important for the national and technological security of both the United States and Taiwan. We are eager to capitalize on the momentum this announcement has generated, and hope that Ambassador Lighthizer will reciprocate this gesture of goodwill by working toward beginning negotiations on a trade agreement with our longstanding ally, Taiwan."

Taiwan is the United States' eleventh-largest trading partner.

On December 19, 2019, the Co-Chairs led a group of 161 House Members in writing a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer, encouraging him to work toward beginning negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan.