Minister for International Trade Nigel Huddleston will co-host the 26th annual Trade Talks later this year with Deputy Minister Chern-Chyi Chen. They held an introductory call to discuss it today.

The UK and Taiwan have a long-standing trade relationship with annual ministerial trade talks held since 1991.

At the last Trade Talks held in Taiwan in late 2022, the UK and Taiwan discussed barriers to trade in sectors like fintech, food and drink and pharma, aimed at helping more UK firms export and invest in Taiwan. This year’s Trade Talks will take place in London and aim to help more UK firms export and invest in Taiwan in areas of mutual interest.

Minister Huddleston also spoke to John Deng, Trade Representative / Minister without Portfolio, to endorse the start of official-level talks on an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP), which will be underpinned by non-legally binding Memoranda of Understanding in key areas such as two-way investment, digital trade, and energy & net-zero.

The ETP will build on our ongoing collaboration through annual Trade Talks to tackle barriers to trade and promote UK expertise, deepening our relationship to take advantage of increasing commercial opportunities. Both sides will begin engaging businesses on the ETP in due course.

Like the UK, Taiwan is a champion of free and fair trade underpinned by a rules-based global trading system. The UK is already a major partner in Taiwan’s green transition, with more than 40 British companies already having set up offices in Taiwan.

The British Office holds regular discussions with the Taiwanese authorities focusing on how to enhance trade and investment ties and tackle market access issues and those relating to the wider business environment. Photo by Heeheemalu, Wikimedia commons.