Taiwan, U.S. to hold trade talks today

The office of the U.S. Trade Representative said that TAIPEI Reuters -- Taiwan and the United States will hold trade talks on Monday under a newly agreed framework.

Sarah Bianchi will meet the island's top trade negotiator, John Deng, to discuss an initiative on 21st-century trade, her office said.

The initiative was unveiled this month, just days after the Biden administration excluded the Chinese island from its Asia-focused economic plan designed to counter China's growing influence, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF.

Deng told Reuters that Taiwan still hopes to seal a free trade deal with the United States.

The United States does not have official ties with Taiwan, a major producer of semiconductors, but has been stepping up engagement as China seeks to isolate itself from global institutions.