TAIPEI: Taiwan has despatched officers to Washington to debate attainable United States tariffs by President Donald Trump, and has made preparations ought to they be imposed, Economic system Minister Kuo Jyh-huei mentioned on Saturday (Feb 8).
Tech corporations in Taiwan, residence to the world’s largest contract chipmaker TSMC, face the likelihood Trump will comply with by on threats to place tariffs on imported chips after he accusing Taiwan throughout final yr’s marketing campaign of getting stolen American semiconductor enterprise.
Trump mentioned on Friday he plans to announce reciprocal tariffs on many economies by Monday or Tuesday, a significant escalation of his offensive to reshape world commerce relationships in methods he considers to be in America’s favour.
Talking to reporters in Taipei, Kuo mentioned the ministry has made preparations for any US tariffs, declining to present particulars.
Requested about chip tariffs, Kuo mentioned he had dispatched a deputy minister and a deputy part chief to Washington. He didn’t determine them or provide additional particulars.
They may “as a lot as attainable give some fairly good explanations to Trump’s individuals” about Taiwan’s chip trade, he added, with out elaborating.
“Taiwan is the US’ greatest companion.”
Taiwan has repeatedly mentioned its chip sector and US firms have “win-win” cooperation.
However Taiwan runs a big commerce surplus with the US, which surged 83 per cent final yr, with the island’s exports to the US hitting a file US$111.4 billion, pushed by demand for high-tech merchandise similar to semiconductors.
Kuo instructed Taiwan may comply with Japan’s instance and import extra US power.
“In reference to Japan, he has nice willpower relating to power,” he mentioned, referring to Trump. “We hope we are able to fulfill US calls for relating to this.”
Japan will quickly start importing a file quantity of US liquefied pure fuel, Trump mentioned on Friday after talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Australia and Qatar are at present Taiwan’s foremost suppliers of LNG.
