TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan and the U.S. will begin a second round of “21st Century Trade Initiative” in-person trade negotiations on Monday (April 29).

Taiwan and the U.S. agreed to the first round of the “21st Century Trade Initiative” in Washington in June 2023. The agreement covered five topics, including:

1. Customs and trade facilitation
2. Legal practice
3. Service industry
4. Anti-corruption
5. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said the second round of negotiations will be led by Terry McCartin, assistant trade representative for China, Mongolia, and Taiwan. The USTR said negotiations would cover agriculture, environmental protection, and labor rights, per CNA.

In terms of agriculture, the U.S. proposed regulations to expand opportunities for U.S. agricultural products to enter Taiwan. Other negotiations involve food safety and sustainability, with U.S. negotiators recommending greater transparency regarding import licensing procedures and certification requirements.

For the environment, USTR negotiators call for regulations to protect the environment and account for climate change. U.S. negotiators are expected to raise new regulations related to clean energy, circular economy, and environmental justice.

As for labor, talks are expected to center on the rights of migrant workers, especially offshore workers such as fishers. The U.S. is expected to call for greater whistleblower protection, and more oversight into migrant worker recruitment fees, broker fees, and other related costs.