Taiwan, U.S. Remain at Odds in Trade Talks

U.S. and Taiwan officials failed to reach agreement on nagging trade differences today after five days of talks in which the Americans urged the Taiwanese to further liberalize import practices.

During the final session, Taiwan officials provided full details of the government’s plan to cut its trade surplus to the U.S. delegation, headed by Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Mark Orr.

“In many areas, the plan has made a positive contribution,” Orr said in his closing statement, “but in other areas, the plan is not as ambitious as it could be.”

Taiwan outlined the four-year plan to Washington in March in an attempt to avoid possible trade retaliation by the United States. Under the plan, Taiwan is to liberalize financial and trade markets to reduce this island’s trade imbalance by at least 10% each year and gradually cut import tariffs until they average 7% in 1992.

Last year, Taiwan registered a trade surplus of $10.4 billion with the United States.

However, the U.S. delegation said the plan still allows Taiwan to maintain high tariffs on agricultural products. The United States also called for the lifting the ban on Taiwan’s imports of several agricultural products.

Last week, Taiwan was cited in a report by the office of the U.S. trade representative as one of 34 countries that allegedly impose unfair barriers in trade with the United States.