Taiwan, US enter ‘harder’ phase of trade talks as mainland China bristles. Taiwan and the U.S. are navigating more complex issues in the second phase of their trade negotiations, focusing on labor rights, environmental practices, and agriculture. These discussions, integral to the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade, follow a foundational agreement that dealt with simpler, regulatory matters. The ongoing talks, complicated by geopolitical sensitivities with mainland China, signal a deepening of strategic ties between Taipei and Washington.