A senior Taiwanese minister said the self-ruled island is looking to be a “full member” of a U.S.-led economic framework in the Indo-Pacific region, given that Taipei is a “safe and reliable” partner and a key part of the global supply chain. “Taiwan is very willing to support the U.S. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework,” Chief Trade Negotiator John Deng said on March 9, as he addressed a virtual webinar on Taiwan’s role in global supply chains, hosted by the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think-tank. On Feb. 11, the White House released the 18-page Indo-Pacific Strategy white paper (pdf) as the United States aims to push back against what it sees as China’s bid to create a regional sphere of influence and become the world’s most influential power. The report said regional governments should have the freedom to make their own sovereign choices, free of coercion. The paper also mentioned the Indo-Pacific …