Taiwan is continuing efforts to secure a trade deal with the US, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) said on Thursday, even after a court blocked many of the tariffs that US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose on other countries.
While the ruling might prompt some countries to adopt a “wait and see” approach, Taiwan remains committed to negotiations, Chen said in an interview.
“We are glad to see that there are some debates among different branches of government in the US,” he said. “That will make everything more reasonable and more acceptable.”
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
“We are serious about our negotiations and we are serious to have a fair trade with the US,” he added.
Trump’s use of tariff threats to pressure other countries into cutting new trade deals was thrown into turmoil after a court said the US president exceeded his authority, significantly weakening his bargaining power at least temporarily.
An appeals court offered Trump a temporary reprieve from the ruling, but the saga could delay negotiations with other trading partners that began after Trump announced a 90-day pause on the steep tariffs that were rolled out early last month.
If left intact, the US would impose a 32 percent levy on imports from Taiwan.
President William Lai (賴清德) has sought to downplay any tensions while highlighting the strength of relations with the US.
He expressed willingness to increase imports from the US, including energy, agricultural and military goods, to lower the trade imbalance.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) has said preparations for a second round of talks were under way.
Chen said he remains confident that the government would reach a deal before the US pause is set to lift, and would push for Washington to drop Taiwan’s tariffs “as low as possible.”
As a strong US ally, Taiwan should push for lower rates than those on others, he added.
“We want to be the special someone,” Chen said, adding that if other countries finalize the tariff at 10 percent, “being special means lower than 10 percent.”
Taiwan has some room to lower tariffs on some US goods such as automobiles, which are subject to a 17.5 percent levy, Chen said.
“I hope, as a consumer and a fan of the American car, we can have a lower tariff on US cars,” he said.
The auto sector is not a strategic one for Taiwan and should not hinder talks with Washington, he added.
“I’m very optimistic about the negotiation between the US and Taiwan, especially when it comes to autos,” he said.
Taiwan would open its market to more US agricultural products, Chen said.
In addition to beef and pork, the government is reviewing a potential list of other goods, he said.
Before the Trump administration announced the levies, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co said that it would invest an additional US$100 billion in the US.
However, potential US tariffs on chip imports could complicate Taiwanese investments, Chen said.
Such levies would affect companies’ cash flows, hurting their ability to invest, he said.
Plans for a sovereign wealth fund announced by Lai last week provided an opportunity for the nation to invest globally, “especially with our close friend and our close trading partners, the US included,” he said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
RSS