Lai says democracies, not China, best bet for trade

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

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Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te speaks at a press conference on the latest round of economic talks with the US, in Taipei yesterday.

(REUTERS)

Senior Taiwanese and US officials last week discussed cooperation in artificial intelligence, tech and drones at a high-level forum launched during the first Trump administration, with the US 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 US-led initiative aimed at securing Al and semiconductor supply chains amid intense competition from Beijing, Washington’s main strategic rival, which claims Taiwan as its own territory.