US business group seeks progress on stalled Taiwan double tax deal

The head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan, Carl Wegner, expressed optimism about potential progress on a long-stalled double taxation agreement between Taiwan and the United States. Wegner stated that the recent Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), which reduced U.S. tariffs on Taiwanese exports and secured Taiwan's commitment to increase purchases from the U.S., provides a favorable environment for advancing the tax deal.

Wegner, releasing the group's 2026 White Paper, highlighted that Taiwan is the only one of the U.S.'s top 10 trading partners currently without a dual taxation agreement. He emphasized that such an agreement would remove investment barriers and create better investment opportunities for both Taiwanese and U.S. companies. He is set to lead a delegation to Washington to discuss boosting bilateral trade and specifically address the dual taxation issue.

The White Paper also underscored Taiwan's significance as a semiconductor producer and a crucial partner for the U.S. in ensuring stability and security in the Asia Pacific. It noted opportunities for U.S.-Taiwan cooperation in research and development, as well as co-production of defense equipment, including drones and asymmetric-warfare technology.