TAIPEI [Taiwan], Taiwan's Deputy Trade Representative Yang Jen-ni promised to push for more Taiwanese agricultural products to be exported to the United States during the latest round of trade talks between the two countries that began in Taipei on Monday . The latest round of in-person talks as part of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade began on Monday morning at the Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) in Taipei, which is part of the Executive Yuan, Central News Agency Taiwan reported. The Taiwanese delegation in Taipei was led by Deputy Trade Representative Yang Jen-ni, while the US side was led by Assistant United States Trade Representative for China, Mongolia and Taiwan Terry McCartin. Before the start of closed-door talks which will continue till Saturday. Yang told reporters that the latest round of talks would focus on issues related to labor, environmental protection and agriculture, the Central News Agency of Taiwan reported.He said these topics are more complex than previous rounds of talks because the two countries have different legal frameworks. and rules related to them “So we need to talk face to face to understand our differences,” she said, adding that Yang would not disclose further details on the issues that will be touched upon during the scheduled five-day talks. Which will also include food safety and security. The barrage of questions came after reporters saw Wu Shou-mei, director general of the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA), at OTN on Monday morning, the Central News Agency of Taiwan reported. -Prepared the famous bubble milk tea. and included several Taiwanese specialties, including pineapple, guava, and passion fruit, to welcome the visiting American delegation.Asked if agricultural products were chosen to provide broader access to the US market, Yang said that was their goal, without elaborating. As to what exact products were in focus, Central News Agency Taiwan reported that Taiwan was the seventh-largest export market for US agricultural and related products in 2023, with a total value of US$3.7 billion. Meanwhile, the US remained the number one export market for Taiwan's agricultural and related products for the second year in a row. The total amount exported by Taiwanese agricultural firms was 17 percent (USD 935 million) of Taiwan's 2023 exports, according to US government data. Representatives from the two governments are expected to discuss a number of areas outlined in the initiative's negotiating mandate. Discuss. These meetings will be closed to the press and additional details regarding subsequent rounds of talks will be provided at a later date.The 21st Century Trade Initiative was launched in 2022 under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultura Representative. The Central News Agency of Taiwan reported that in the absence of official diplomatic relations, offices in the US on behalf of both governments. In June 2023, the two sides signed the first agreement under the initiative, agreeing on matters related to customs administration and trade facilitation, regulatory practices, domestic regulation of services, anti-corruption and small and medium-sized enterprises. Following talks in Washington DC last August, both sides are currently working towards a second agreement.