WASHINGTON D.C. A leading U.S. official said that even though Taiwan is excluded from President Joe Biden's Asian economic initiative, the U.S. plans to strengthen its economic partnership with the island.
While traveling to Japan with President Biden this week, the U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Taiwan will not be part of the launch of Biden's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.
He said that we are looking to deepen our economic partnership with Taiwan, including on high-technology issues, including semiconductors and supply chains.
Taipei expressed an interest in joining the talks.
Biden will be in the summit of the Quad group of countries, meeting with leaders of Japan, India and Australia, on his first trip to Japan since taking office.
The summit participants are expected to discuss issues of regional security, including China's claim to Taiwan.
Sullivan told reporters that they do not want to see military aggression and we do not want to see unilateral changes to the status quo. We want that message to come not only from us, but from a range of allies and partners, both in the region and beyond.