Taiwan and US to hold trade talks this month in Taipei

The Jan. 14-17 meetings will be held in Taipei under the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade unveiled in June.

Taiwan and the United States will hold another round of in-person trade talks this month, the island's government said on Thursday, discussions that China opposes.

The Jan. 14-17 meetings will be held in Taipei under the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade unveiled in June, days after the Biden administration excluded Taiwan.

China, which views self-governing Taiwan as its own territory, has said it "firmly" opposes the new trade talks. Taiwan strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims.

Taiwan's delegation will include deputy trade representative Yang Jen-ni and officials from several government agencies, Taiwan's cabinet said in a statement.

Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Terry McCartin will lead the U.S. delegation, the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. embassy on the island, said in a statement.

Taiwan has long pushed for a broad free trade deal with the United States, its most important international backer and foreign arms supplier even in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.