Midwestern US state lawmakers have backed closer ties with Taiwan, a win for Taipei's push for a tax treaty and deeper trade links with Washington.

• The Midwestern Legislative Conference, meeting in St. Paul, Minnesota, passed a resolution supporting Taiwan at its 80th annual meeting.
• The resolution backs a US-Taiwan deal to stop the same income being taxed twice, a long-standing ask from Taiwanese companies investing in America.
• It also calls for tying the two economies' supply chains closer together, and for letting Taiwan take part in international organizations.
• The US has passed China as Taiwan's biggest trading partner, and Taiwan is now the fourth-largest trading partner of the US.
• Taiwanese firms have pledged $250 billion of investment in the US, aimed at rebuilding American advanced manufacturing.

Outlook: The resolution carries no force of law, but it adds state-level pressure on Congress to finalize the double-taxation agreement.