TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Thursday that Taiwan is among the countries Trump mentioned that had contacted the US about tariff negotiations.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that more than 75 countries contacted the US to negotiate and had not taken retaliatory actions, per CNA. Trump responded by authorizing a 90-day suspension of higher tariffs, during which his uniform 10% tariff on all imports is in effect. Meanwhile, US tariffs on Chinese imports were raised to 125%.
During a session of the Legislative Yuan, DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) asked whether Taiwan is among the 75 countries Trump mentioned. Lin confirmed that Taiwan was among those countries and emphasized that the baseline tariff of 10% puts Taiwan in a relatively more advantageous position.
Lin said Taiwan is engaging the US through multiple channels, including its representative office in the US, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the business community. However, he said ultimately the discussions would return to official government channels.
In a press briefing before the session, Lin said, “We are ready,” and that communication channels have been established. With the added 90-day window, Lin said Taiwan can now conduct more detailed and in-depth discussions with Washington.
Lin said he hopes that Taiwan’s actions will not only be a passive response to Trump's tariffs but also open a new chapter in Taiwan-US trade relations.
The minister stressed that negotiations would be based on principles of reciprocity and fairness, and believes the Trump administration’s new wave of policies presents a chance to deepen Taiwan-US relations. He said the US acknowledged receiving Taiwan’s message and has responded with detailed discussions and negotiation formats to proceed through existing bilateral mechanisms.
Lin pointed out that President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) had published an op-ed in Bloomberg titled “Taiwan Has a Roadmap for Deeper US Trade Ties,” stressing that Taiwan not only aims to respond to Trump’s tariffs but also seeks to strengthen bilateral trade relations, including investment and procurement, with the potential for zero tariffs.
Lin said Taiwan’s US investments reached NT$3.29 trillion (US$100 billion), creating 400,000 jobs. Recent investments include semiconductor plants by TSMC and GlobalWafers, as well as purchases of natural gas and agricultural products.
The minister said CPC Corporation has signed a letter of intent to purchase and invest in liquefied natural gas from Alaska, which is expected to help reduce the US trade deficit with Taiwan.
Lin added that Lai’s concept of a “US Investment Team” is meant to leverage the US market, technical capital, and talent to generate new bilateral trade and investment opportunities. Amid the ongoing restructuring of global supply chains, Lin said this would enable Taiwan to secure a more favorable position with greater economic security, while also promoting and safeguarding Taiwan-US relations.
Regarding the removal of non-tariff trade barriers, Lin said that during discussions on the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade and other cooperative frameworks, these issues have already been reviewed. He said Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) is currently conducting a comprehensive reassessment to eliminate these non-tariff barriers.
