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 mentioned on Saturday (Feb 8).
Tech companies in Taiwan, house to the world’s largest contract chipmaker TSMC, face the likelihood Trump will observe by means of on threats to place tariffs on imported chips after he accusing Taiwan throughout final 12 months’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 serious escalation of his offensive to reshape international 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 supply additional particulars.
They’ll “as a lot as attainable give some reasonably good explanations to Trump’s individuals” about Taiwan’s chip business, he added, with out elaborating.
“Taiwan is the USA’ 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 12 months, with the island’s exports to the US hitting a file US$111.4 billion, pushed by demand for high-tech merchandise comparable to semiconductors.
Kuo prompt Taiwan may observe Japan’s instance and import extra US vitality.
“In reference to Japan, he has nice dedication in the case of vitality,” he mentioned, referring to Trump. “We hope we will fulfill US calls for in the case of this.”
Japan will quickly start importing a file quantity of US liquefied pure gasoline, Trump mentioned on Friday after talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Australia and Qatar are at present Taiwan’s important suppliers of LNG.
