TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – On Wednesday (Sept. 14) in Washington, D.C., a delegation of Taiwanese legislators and representatives of the local agriculture industry met with 28 members of the U.S. Congress as part of the 2022 Taiwan Agriculture Trade Mission.

The mission announced on Wednesday that three letters of intent were signed with U.S. representatives. The agreements call for US$3.2 billion (NT$ 99.5 billion) worth of Taiwanese agricultural products to be exported to the U.S. between 2023 and 2024.

Seven senators and 21 members of congress were there at the signing ceremony. CNA reports that the main products to be purchased per the letters of intent are soybeans, corn, and wheat.

After the agreements were signed, Taiwan’s representative to the U.S., Hsiao Bi-Khim (蕭美琴), said that agricultural trade between Taiwan and the U.S. is another example of the mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.

Hsiao also thanked the U.S. for the bipartisan support shown for Taiwan from both major political parties in congress. Thanks to their support, U.S.-Taiwan trade relations have flourished, according to Hsiao.

Due to the COVID pandemic, this was the first Taiwanese agricultural trade mission to visit Washington, D.C. in three years, reports CNA. Taiwanese delegates at the signing event also touted the “Taiwan-U.S. 21st Century Trade Initiative” and the upcoming free trade agreement talks, which are expected to significantly boost bilateral trade over the years ahead.