Taiwan‘s foreign minister is heading to Texas to promote AI collaboration and deepen economic ties amid ongoing U.S. tariff negotiations. This diplomatic mission reflects Taiwan’s strategic efforts to balance trade relations with the United States while strengthening its position as a key technology partner, particularly as Taiwan recently received a 90-day pause on potential 32% import tariffs from the Trump administration.
The big picture: Taiwan is leveraging AI diplomacy as part of a broader strategy to address trade imbalances with the United States while encouraging Taiwanese investment in American manufacturing.
Behind the numbers: The recent tariff pause has created a 90-day window for Taiwan to demonstrate trade balance improvements through increased U.S. goods purchases and investment commitments.
Why this matters: Despite lacking formal diplomatic relations, Taiwan continues to cultivate strong economic and security ties with the United States, which serves as its most important international backer and arms supplier.