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, Financial system Minister Kuo Jyh-huei stated on Saturday (Feb 8).
Tech companies in Taiwan, house to the world’s largest contract chipmaker TSMC, face the likelihood Trump will comply with by means of 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 stated on Friday he plans to announce reciprocal tariffs on many economies by Monday or Tuesday, a serious escalation of his offensive to reshape world commerce relationships in methods he considers to be in America’s favour.
Chatting with reporters in Taipei, Kuo stated the ministry has made preparations for any US tariffs, declining to present particulars.
Requested about chip tariffs, Kuo stated he had dispatched a deputy minister and a deputy part chief to Washington. He didn’t establish them or provide additional particulars.
They’ll “as a lot as attainable give some relatively good explanations to Trump’s individuals” about Taiwan’s chip trade, he added, with out elaborating.
“Taiwan is america’ greatest companion.”
Taiwan has repeatedly stated 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 akin to semiconductors.
Kuo recommended Taiwan might comply with Japan’s instance and import extra US power.
“In reference to Japan, he has nice dedication in the case of power,” he stated, referring to Trump. “We hope we are able to fulfill US calls for in the case of this.”
Japan will quickly start importing a file quantity of US liquefied pure gasoline, Trump stated on Friday after talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Australia and Qatar are at present Taiwan’s principal suppliers of LNG.
