TAIWAN

Visiting U.S. Trade Mission Hopes to Boost Exports: A U.S. trade mission will visit Taiwan next week in hopes of boosting U.S. exports and landing a role in Taipei’s six-year development program, Assistant Commerce Secretary Thomas Duesterberg said. Duesterberg, who will accompany the group, will be the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan since 1979. He plans to meet with a Taiwanese counterpart to discuss bilateral trade issues, as well make courtesy calls on leaders. Taiwan is the sixth-largest U.S. trading partner, and the U.S. market consumes nearly one-third of Taiwan’s exports. U.S. firms sold $13.8 billion in goods to Taiwan last year. Taiwan’s development plan calls for spending $303 billion, including $234 billion on major infrastructure projects. Foreign firms will be able to bid on $45 billion to $50 billion of those projects, according to the Commerce Department. Duesterberg said U.S. firms are interested in construction services, environmental products and services, telecommunication equipment and services, and equipment and construction services for power generation.