News brief

Bipartisan trip to Taiwan. Three Republican and Democratic lawmakers are making their first trip to Taiwan under the new Trump administration a bipartisan one. They aim to show both Taiwan and China that U.S. support for Taiwan’s defense remains broad, despite the harsh words and heightened tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed for the Taiwanese. Taiwan and many Asia-Pacific nations so far are eschewing the retaliatory criticism and tariffs of some of the U.S.’s European allies. Facing a 32% tariff, the Taiwanese have said they are working fast to strike new trade and investment deals that suit the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump complains about other countries’ tariffs on U.S. exports. But his real goal, many U.S. trading partners worry, is to overthrow the fundamentals of global commerce.