Taiwan must look to democracies, not China, for trade cooperation

Taiwan must look to fellow democracies, not China, for trade and economic cooperation, President Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday, as his government mapped out how the island plans to work with the United States on areas like AI and critical minerals.



Senior Taiwanese and U.S. officials last week discussed cooperation in artificial intelligence, tech and drones at a high-level forum launched during the first Trump administration, with the U.S. State Department praising Taipei as a "vital partner."



The two sides signed statements on cooperation on economic security and on the Pax Silica Declaration - a U.S.-led initiative aimed at securing AI and semiconductor supply chains amid intense competition from Beijing, Washington's main strategic rival and which claims Taiwan as its own territory.



Speaking at a news conference at the presidential office about the U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue, Lai lauded the outcome of those talks.



"Taiwan is on the right economic path and is striding confidently onto the world stage. Taiwan has both the capability and the confidence to work with its democratic partners to lead the next generation of prosperity," he said.