U.S. trade representative to speak with Taiwan's officials about tariffs

Taipei, April 11 (CNA) U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in Washington Friday morning that he will speak with his Taiwanese counterpart later in the day about the "reciprocal tariffs" U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week.

Greer mentioned the scheduled discussion with Taiwan after a Fox News Channel host asked him about countries he has talked to or was set to speak with during the station's breakfast show.

"Right after I'm done with this TV spot, I'm going to be speaking to my counterpart in Israel. Over the last two days, I had a long discussion with the Vietnamese. We are speaking with the Taiwanese later today," Greer told the Fox News host in New York in an interview.

Greer said he and more than 100 people working under him are talking every day to the countries whose exports the U.S. had planned to slap tariffs on, exchanging documents and proposals on how to address what Washington sees as trade barriers that can be removed to open up overseas markets for American companies further.

Trump slapped a 46 percent "reciprocal tariff" on Vietnam's exports to the U.S. on April 2, a 17 percent tariff on Israel and 32 percent for Taiwan, but it announced on Wednesday a 90-day pause before these higher tariffs set for dozens of countries come into effect.

Since the Trump administration's April 2 tariff announcement, the Taiwanese government has planned several measures, including a proposed NT$88 billion (US$2.72 billion) support package aimed at mitigating the impact on local businesses over the next four years.

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) told representatives from the machinery industry in Taichung on Friday that Taiwan is on the list of the first group of countries set to enter into tariff negotiations with the United States.

Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) will lead trade negotiations with the U.S. to address Washington's concerns over trade barriers, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told lawmakers in Taipei on Friday.

It was unclear who will speak with Greer on behalf of Taiwan. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told reporters on Thursday that Taiwan's representative office in the U.S. has been handling talks with trade officials in Washington.

The talks so far have gone well, Lin said in Taipei on Friday, adding that Taiwan hopes to conclude the trade negotiations with the U.S. during the 90-day period.