TAIPEI: US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo discussed chip supply chains during a call with her opposite number in Taiwan, and the two will cooperate on technology trade and investment through a newly established mechanism, her office said.
The United States has repeatedly pressed Taiwan, a major chip producer, to do more to help deal with a global shortage of semiconductors, which has shuttered some auto production lines and impacted consumer goods.
Taiwan is doing all it can to help.
In a Monday call with Taiwan Economic Minister Wang Mei-hua, Raimondo emphasized the importance of the U.S.-based Taiwan commercial and investment relationship, as well as the importance of the U.S.- Taiwan commercial and investment relationship, the US Commerce Department said.
She expressed the United States' continued interest in working together with Taiwan on issues of common commercial concern, particularly in the area of semiconductor supply chains and related ecosystems. The United States and Taiwan will cooperate through a new Technology Trade and Investment Collaboration framework to develop commercial programmes and explore ways to strengthen critical supply chains, it added.
Wang said that Taiwan and the United States were long-term and reliable supply-chain partners, which is why they committed to identifying other steps to support semiconductors and other critical supply chains.
The ministry said that they discussed the key role Taiwan plays in global supply chains and the importance of Taiwan and the United States in strengthening supply-chain resilience and continuing to expand two-way trade and investment cooperation.
It quoted Wang as saying that Taiwan hopes to work with the United States on infrastructure in third countries and to help Taiwan firms participate in President Joe Biden's Build Back Better plan.