Taiwan and the US have completed “technical consultations” regarding tariffs and a finalized rate is expected to be released soon, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference yesterday, as a 90-day pause on US President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs is set to expire today.
The two countries have reached a “certain degree of consensus” on issues such as tariffs, nontariff trade barriers, trade facilitation, supply chain resilience and economic security, Lee said.
They also discussed opportunities for cooperation, investment and procurement, she said.
Photo: Reuters
A joint statement is still being negotiated and would be released once the US government has made a final decision, she added.
Taiwan’s tariff negotiation team remains in Washington, Lee said.
A trade delegation led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) has gone through four rounds of negotiations with US officials, including US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, a statement issued by the Cabinet said.
The team prioritized protecting national interests, safeguarding local industries, promoting public health and ensuring food security, Lee said.
“We will firmly uphold our position,” she added.
They also promoted balanced bilateral trade and expanding cooperation with the US in fields such as technology and national security, she said.
Tariff rates are being released for countries around the world, with East Asian neighbors Japan and South Korea last week each securing a reduced tariff deal of 15 percent as opposed to the 25 percent proposed in April.
Vietnam was granted 20 percent and the Philippines 19 percent, down from 46 percent and 20 percent respectively.
The US initially proposed a blanket tariff of 32 percent on most Taiwanese goods, with a separate rate to be negotiated for semiconductors.
Trump’s team has so far only offered Taiwan a “best rate tariff” without specifying the number, said a person familiar with the talks, who added that Taiwanese officials assume that is about the 15 percent tariff Japan was given.
The US is also demanding more investment, after Tokyo’s offer of a US$550 billion fund, the person added.
Shortly after Trump’s announcement in April, which simultaneously targeted more than 100 countries and regions with different tariff rates, President William Lai (賴清德) indicated his administration’s willingness to discuss “bilateral zero tariffs” with the US.
Some industries, particularly those in agriculture, expressed concerns over that idea, saying that opening up the Taiwanese market to US agricultural products would harm domestic producers.
Taipei has also expressed its intention to increase purchases of US goods, raise defense spending and address concerns flagged by Washington over transshipments and trade imbalances.
Additional reporting by Chung Li-hua and Bloomberg
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