New envoy to US faces challenges in improving bilateral ties: academicBy Peng Wan-hsin and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writerSeveral areas of Taiwan-US relations would require improvement after National Security Council member Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) takes over as representative to the US, an academic said yesterday, citing China’s continuous military intimidation of Taiwan. As the US is to hold its presidential election in November, Taiwan should strive to prevent any major shifts in bilateral relations in the event of a change in the US administration, Lai said. Taiwan-US relations could alter drastically in the near term in the face of multiple challenges and opportunities, such as economic problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing US-China relations, Hsiao said on Facebook on June 18, two days after her appointment. Pressing matters that need to be handled include stalled progress on bilateral free-trade agreements and talks under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, observers have said. Taiwan’s ban on imports of US pork containing ractopamine and some beef products should also be addressed via practical means, they said.

Source: Taipei Times June 30, 2020 15:56 UTC