The process, labeled the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, follows an agreement US President Joe Biden announced last week with 12 Asian economies, which excluded Taiwan.

Like that effort, the discussions with Taiwan will not involve tariffs or market access — items that would require congressional approval, officials said.

In a statement, the US Trade Representative said that "both sides will work at pace [...] to develop an ambitious road map for negotiations for reaching agreements with high-standard commitments and economically meaningful outcomes".

Taiwan's lead trade negotiator, John Deng, said the talks would "open up more room for economic cooperation".

"We can say this is a historic breakthrough," he added, speaking at a press conference in Taipei.

Despite the limited scope of the talks — which a senior administration official said was in keeping with the "unofficial" relationship with Taipei — they are likely to anger Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and bristles at any sign Washington is treating the self-governing democracy as an independent nation.

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