Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) said Taiwan has formally submitted a position paper to the United States, clearly warning that any new tariffs on Taiwanese industries would undermine their ability to invest in the U.S. and heighten the risk of disruption to the global semiconductor supply chain.
As President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) approaches his first anniversary in office, the Executive Yuan held a media briefing on Friday. Cheng, who also serves as convener of the U.S.-Taiwan economic partnership task force, said Taiwan was among the first countries to begin negotiations on Washington’s proposed “reciprocal tariffs.”
Cheng further noted that lead trade negotiator Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮) is currently attending the APEC Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Jeju, South Korea. On Thursday, she held bilateral talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to continue preparations for the next round of negotiations.
Cheng added that Taiwan hopes the U.S. will recognize how its supply chains have shifted away from China in recent years. The growing trade deficit, she explained, reflects Taiwanese companies meeting the needs of the U.S. high-tech sector. On this foundation, Cheng said Taiwan looks to further promote two-way investment and expand cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, unmanned vehicles, and robotics.