Riyadh Economic Forum Tackles Strategic Issues, Solid Studies

 Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Riyadh region, launched on Monday the tenth edition of the Riyadh Economic Forum. (SPA)
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Riyadh region, launched on Monday the tenth edition of the Riyadh Economic Forum. (SPA)
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Riyadh Economic Forum Tackles Strategic Issues, Solid Studies

 Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Riyadh region, launched on Monday the tenth edition of the Riyadh Economic Forum. (SPA)
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Riyadh region, launched on Monday the tenth edition of the Riyadh Economic Forum. (SPA)

Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Riyadh region, launched on Monday the tenth edition of the Riyadh Economic Forum, with a wide participation of government officials, economic experts and academics.

Prince Faisal bin Bandar stressed that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ sponsorship of the forum, since the launch of its first session in 2003 and throughout its journey, represented the greatest support for its work and activities in strengthening the national economy and raising its response to facing local, regional and global economic challenges, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.

He added that the forum also reflected the Kingdom’s support for private sector institutions and the importance of raising their contribution to the achievement of a sustainable economic and social development, especially in light Saudi Arabia’s rapid economic growth and comprehensive renaissance.

The governor of Riyadh pointed that the forum sought to enhance the participation of female and male stakeholders, economic experts and academics to develop solid studies that accurately analyze the challenges facing the national economy in many of its sectors, and adopt a neutral and balanced scientific approach to find viable solutions.

For his part, Ajlan Al-Ajlan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce in Riyadh, pointed to the successes achieved by the forum through its previous nine sessions, emphasizing its recommendations and fruitful results that would contribute to raising the efficiency of the national economy and building an attractive investment environment.



Taiwan Holds First Tariff Talks with United States

A plane takes off above the skyline including Taipei 101 (C) in Taipei on April 11, 2025. (AFP)
A plane takes off above the skyline including Taipei 101 (C) in Taipei on April 11, 2025. (AFP)
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Taiwan Holds First Tariff Talks with United States

A plane takes off above the skyline including Taipei 101 (C) in Taipei on April 11, 2025. (AFP)
A plane takes off above the skyline including Taipei 101 (C) in Taipei on April 11, 2025. (AFP)

Taiwan officials held their first tariff talks with US officials on Friday, with both sides looking forward to further discussions soon, the island's government said on Saturday.

While Taiwan, a major semiconductor producer facing tariffs of 32%, complained they were unfair, it moved quickly to lay out proposals with the United States, offering a zero-tariff regime and greater purchases and investments in the country.

In a statement, Taiwan's Office of Trade Negotiations said its officials held a video conference with US officials whom it did not identify.

The talks focused on reciprocal tariffs between Taiwan and the United States, non-tariff barriers to trade, and a number of other economic and trade issues, including export controls, it added.

"Both sides look forward to conducting follow-up consultations ... in the near future and jointly building a strong and stable economic and trade relationship between Taiwan and the United States," it said.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside of Washington work hours.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said he would temporarily lower the hefty duties he had just imposed on dozens of countries, while further ramping up pressure on China.

Home to the world's largest contract chipmaker, TSMC, Taiwan has long sought a free trade deal with the United States, its most important international backer and arms supplier, even though the two have no formal diplomatic ties.

Taiwan faces increasing military and political pressure from its giant neighbor China, which views the democratically governed island as its own territory.

Taiwan's government rejects those claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.