The president of Taiwan promised to purchase more American products, such as oil and natural gas, as the self-governing island looks to strengthen its relationship with the US despite the Trump administration's threat of a 32 percent tax.
Taiwan's leader, Lai Ching-te, told a US congressional delegation that the island would increase its energy autonomy and resilience and establish "more balanced bilateral trade" with the US by buying more US items, which include agricultural and military equipment.
Lai added that the island would be open to joining US initiatives to reindustrialize and become a global leader in artificial intelligence.
Rep. Bruce Westerman, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, told Lai that the US produces a lot of food and fibre and is "always looking for more friends to share that with."
Taiwan and the United States have strengthened their economic and trade relations in recent years. China, which claims the island is part of its territory and has threatened to conquer it by force if necessary, is putting increasing pressure on the island.
Both Republicans and Democrats have come to feel that it is in the US's best interest to prevent Beijing from attacking Taiwan, and Washington is required by its own laws to give Taipei the resources it needs to defend itself.
Arming Taiwan, according to numerous policymakers and observers, entails not just selling weapons but also fostering stronger commercial and economic links to make the island less susceptible to economic pressure from the mainland.
Taiwan's semiconductor behemoth, TSMC, has invested $165 billion to construct advanced chip plants in Arizona, making the US the top destination for Taiwan's overseas investments. According to Lai, the island is also the seventh-largest market for US agricultural exports.
With the exception of a baseline charge of 10 percent, President Donald Trump's 32 percent tariff, which was part of his comprehensive tariff package, remains on hold. Lai dismissed the US-Taiwan trade disputes earlier this month as "frictions between friends."
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According to the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US diplomatic presence on the island, the congressional delegation made a stop in Taipei as part of its broader trip to the Indo-Pacific area through Thursday.