Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) yesterday said that Taiwan and the US are having some "bumps" due to the potential imposition of sweeping tariffs on Taiwanese goods by Washington, but both sides are still talking in the hopes of reaching a mutually acceptable solution.
"The economic relationship between Taiwan and the United States is an important pillar of our partnership, though we have had a few bumps along the way, including the complicated dynamics of tariffs," Hsiao said at a reception hosted by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to celebrate the 249th anniversary of US Independence Day on July 4.
"Negotiators from both sides are working diligently and closely to pave a pathway toward a common goal of progress and prosperity for both our countries," Hsiao said in her address at the event.
Photo: CNA
The close trade and investment ties between the two countries are "deep and mutually complementary," including in sectors ranging from semiconductors and high-value manufacturing to digital services and clean energy innovation, she said.
"We believe a strong Taiwan will be better capable of contributing to global prosperity, including America's goals of reindustrialization and technological leadership, particularly in AI [artificial intelligence] and frontier industries," she said.
Noting the baseball theme of this year's event, Hsiao said that the sport is a passion shared by Taiwanese and Americans.
"We have a partnership that is built inning after inning. We have faced fastballs, curveballs and sometimes sliders, but we keep stepping up to the plate with determination and teamwork," she said, adding that "together, we are a champion team."
AIT Director Raymond Greene said in his address that the economies of Taiwan and the US are "well-positioned to help each other thrive, especially in new and critical technologies" in this moment of "historic economic transformation."
He praised Taiwan's expertise in high-tech, large-scale production, saying it is "the perfect match for innovative US drone companies."
"As with AI, the United States and Taiwan are perfectly positioned to dominate this dynamic sector where innovation and secure supply chains will define success," Greene said.
"Whether it is shaping the technologies of the 21st century, ensuring resilient supply chains and communities, or keeping the peace in the Indo-Pacific, America and Taiwan working together with our democratic teammates are poised to knock it out of the park every time," he said.
Hsiao and Greene exchanged signed baseball jerseys, while Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) presented Greene with a Taiwan-made baseball bat engraved with the words: "A home run for Taiwan-US relations."
Meanwhile, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) projected a positive outlook for Taiwan's economy, citing the country's central role in the global development of AI.
As long as Taiwan maintains its edge in the manufacture of information and communications technology (ICT) and AI-related products, it would remain a mainstay in the global supply chain, Kung told a forum on trade and economic relations between Taiwan and the US.
"No country can afford to exclude Taiwan ... unless it wishes to abandon its AI ambitions in the next five years," Kung said, adding that Taiwan provides the "firepower" needed for the global battle.
He was possibly referring to advanced semiconductor production.
Kung touched briefly on potential US tariffs on Taiwanese goods, including semiconductors, saying that Taiwan had weathered past disruptions — particularly the US-China trade dispute in 2017 and the COVID-19 pandemic — and adapted to changing circumstances.
Taiwan had previously overcome greater challenges and exceeded experts' expectations with regard to its economic performance, he said.
"This is why I remain optimistic," Kung said, adding that there would be "good opportunities" in the second half of this year "regardless of any changes that may come."
In early April, US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of "reciprocal" tariffs on imports from dozens of countries and territories, including a blanket levy on Taiwanese goods of 32 percent.
Trump later suspended the tariffs for 90 days and imposed a reduced 10 percent duty on most countries. The temporary pause is set to expire on Wednesday next week.
Taiwanese officials and their counterparts in the US completed a second round of tariff talks at the end of last month, the Executive Yuan's Office of Trade Negotiations has said.
However, it provided little detail about the negotiations, saying only that both sides had achieved "constructive progress.”
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