TAIPEI: Taiwan's top trade negotiator appealed to the United States on Tuesday not to forget that the island wants a free trade deal but understands this will not happen immediately and is willing to make other agreements first as "building blocks".
Taiwan has long campaigned for such a deal, in what would be a strong show of support for the Chinese-claimed island in the face of unrelenting diplomatic and military pressure from Beijing. It says it is a reliable partner for the United States with shared democratic values.
