Taiwan has finally succeeded in reaching a trade deal with the Trump administration in the United States. After the latest round of trade negotiations between the U.S. and Taiwan, the Lai administration announced that it had successfully lowered tariffs from 20 percent to 15 percent, which will not stack onto most-favored-nation rates.

Taiwan, for its part, would contribute "elite troops," and Washington might assign personnel in Guam or elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region to help.

U.S. pressure on the Beijing-claimed island has grown after the opposition-controlled parliament blocked $40 billion in proposed extra defense spending.

By Ben Blanchard and David Lawder TAIPEI/WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Senior Taiwanese and U.S. officials discussed cooperation in artificial intelligence, tech and drones at a high-level forum launched during the first Trump administration,