The government has prepared a strategic plan and is ready to negotiate with the US on tariffs, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said today.
The aim for negotiations would be to balance trade, Cho said, adding that he urges the public to have patience while negotiations are ongoing.
Speaking to reporters prior to a Legislative Yuan policy briefing today, Cho said that the world trade order is undergoing a major reorganization in response to US tariff policy, and in response, the government wants to stabilize domestic industries and prepare for negotiations.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
Preparations have been made for tariff discussions with the US, including by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君), the Office of Trade Negotiations and the national security team, Cho said.
The US Department of Commerce yesterday said it would investigate semiconductor and semiconductor manufacturing equipment imports, along with the pharmaceutical industry, for potential new tariffs.
In response, Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) told reporters that the ministry is prepared to respond to either drug price increases or drug shortages to ensure that the public maintains sufficient and safe access to medicines.
Taiwan imports about 10 percent of its drugs from the US, many of which are cancer drugs, Chiu said, adding that the ministry is prepared for the possibility of price increases.
In response to potential semiconductor tariffs, Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) said that Taiwan is to simulate potential impacts and seek talks with Washington on the issue.
Also speaking to reporters outside the legislature, Kuo said he would seek to discuss the matter with the US and ensure "fair competition" for Taiwanese industry.
The Taiwanese and US chip sectors are complementary, he added.
"As to how much [the tariffs] could be, we will of course carry out simulations," Kuo said. "On the tariffs issue, we will try as hard as possible to communicate with the US side."
The level of chip tariffs would be "the outcome of talks," he added without elaborating.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
City buses in Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the Taipei MRT, would on Saturday begin accepting QR code payments from five electronic payment providers, the Taipei Department of Transportation said yesterday. The new option would allow passengers to use the “transportation QR code” feature from EasyWallet, iPass Money, iCash Pay, Jkopay or PXPay Plus. Passengers should open their preferred electronic payment app, select the “transportation code” — not the regular payment code — unlock it, and scan the code at ticket readers or gates, General Planning Division Director-General Liu Kuo-chu (劉國著) said. People should move through the
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
RSS