US shows support for Taiwan with new trade agreement

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai (Shuji Kajiyama/AP)

The United States has signalled its support for Taiwan with a trade agreement as the island democracy comes under increasing pressure from China.

The agreement, the first under the US-Taiwan initiative on 21st Century Trade, is expected to set the stage for what US trade representative Katherine Tai described as “a robust and high-standard trade agreement”.