Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) on Friday met with US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson in Washington, exchanging views on shared priorities, including Taiwan-US security cooperation, economic and trade ties, and industrial collaboration, the Legislative Yuan said in a statement.
Han urged Johnson to continue supporting the US-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act so that it can complete the legislative process soon, and further promote bilateral investment and trade, and deepen the partnership between the two sides, it said.
The bill, passed by the US House of Representatives on Jan. 15 last year, would provide people and businesses with treatment similar to tax treaty relief and solve the double taxation issue between the two economies, the Ministry of Finance said.
Photo courtesy of the Legislative Yuan
Han was accompanied by Representative to the US Alexander Yui (俞大?) at the meeting, while other members of Taiwan’s cross-party delegation did not attend, a source accompanying the delegation said.
After the visit, Han and the delegation met US Department of State officials to exchange views on Taiwan-US collaboration on security and drone development, the Legislative Yuan said.
They also discussed ways to help Taiwan engage in international affairs more effectively and facilitate Taiwanese investment in the US, it added.
Han told US officials that Taiwan places great importance in developing its drone industry, and hopes to deepen bilateral ties.
The delegation, which includes seven other lawmakers — three from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), one from the Taiwan People’s Party and three from the Democratic Progressive Party — arrived in the US on Sunday last week.
The six-day trip began in Phoenix, Arizona, where the delegation visited Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (台積電) complex before traveling to Washington to meet US lawmakers and government officials.
The delegation met with Democratic senators on Wednesday, and interacted with more than 30 representatives at the welcome reception hosted by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US.
They visited White House and US Department of Defense officials on Thursday.
On Friday afternoon, they traveled back to Taiwan on EVA Air’s maiden non-stop flight from Washington.
The new route between Taoyuan and Washington is expected to reduce travel time by seven to eight hours, the airline said.
Han said that although Taiwan and the US are separated by about one-third of the Earth’s circumference, they are closely connected by their shared values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law.
The route could foster bilateral ties in many ways, he added.
