China

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  China is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, and the fastest-growing U.S. export market.  It is now our second-largest trading partner.  While China’s GDP grew by 10.3 percent in 2010, U.S. exports to China were up 32 percent, reaching $92 billion, and have more than quadrupled since 2000.   Our trade deficit in goods with China totaled $273 billion in 2010, but we had a surplus of $6.7 billion in services trade in 2009.   China is the world’s third-largest market for luxury goods behind Japan and the United States.  There are more than 200 million Chinese citizens with a per capita income over $8,000, and most economists predict a surge in the number of people achieving true middle class status during the next several years.

Taiwan

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With a population of only 23 million, Taiwan is our ninth-largest trading partner, ahead of much larger economies. Taiwan’s GDP grew by almost 10.5 percent in 2010, while U.S. exports increased by 40 percent. Taiwan has considerably lowered its tariffs since its accession to the WTO in 2002. The island has benefited economically from expanding business activities into the Chinese Mainland. Taiwan imports a wide variety of electronic, optical and precision instruments, information and communications products, transportation equipment, machinery, and electrical products. Its high-tech sector relies heavily on technology licenses and imports of specialty components from the United States.