Eight local government leaders on Monday held an online meeting to discuss countermeasures in response to the 32 percent tariff on Taiwanese goods announced by US President Donald Trump last week.
In a joint statement after the meeting, the eight leaders urged the central government to act swiftly, protect workers and safeguard vulnerable industries.
They also called on the legislature to expedite the approval of a proposed NT$88 billion (US$2.67 billion) assistance package for affected industries and businesses.
Photo courtesy of the Taichung City Government
Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) organized the virtual conference with the mayors and county commissioners of Hsinchu city and county, Chiayi City, and Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou and Yunlin counties.
Lu said the tariffs would “severely impact” her city’s export-driven manufacturing sector.
Hsinchu County Commissioner Yang Wen-ke (楊文科), Acting Hsinchu City Mayor Andy Chiu (邱臣遠) and Miaoli County Commissioner Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦) all voiced support for the central government’s proposed NT$88 billion assistance plan.
Changhua County Commissioner Wang Huei-mei (王惠美) stressed the importance of swift action, urging the central government to quickly understand the details of the US tariff policy to help businesses make more informed decisions.
Yunlin County Commissioner Chang Li-shan (張麗善) raised concerns about potential company closures and employee layoffs, and urged collaboration between local governments to strengthen the social safety net for workers.
Chiayi City Mayor Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠) recommended that aside from ensuring that state-funded banks do not tighten credit, the central government should also offer affected businesses preferential interest rates or tax reductions.
Nantou County Commissioner Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) called on the central government to ensure that vulnerable sectors, such as agriculture, would not be “sacrificed” during tariff negotiations with the US.
The eight leaders — six from the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), one from the Taiwan People’s Party and one independent — also urged the Democratic Progressive Party-led central government to collaborate with local governments to help mitigate the potential impact of the tariff on local businesses.
Meanwhile, the mayors of four KMT-run cities in northern Taiwan — Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan and Keelung — are scheduled to meet today to discuss the potential impact of the Trump tariff on local industries and possible responses, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said.
The mayors would exchange views on several issues, including the impact of the tariffs, subsidies, price monitoring and industrial transformation, Chiang said.
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