Premier tells lawmakers U.S. tariff negotiations ongoing

Taipei, Aug. 25 (CNA) Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said Monday that Taiwan's tariff talks with the United States remain focused on three goals: securing a better rate, ensuring a fair process under U.S. trade law, and preventing overlapping tariffs.

"Once an agreement is reached, it will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan under the Conclusion of Treaties Act," Cho told lawmakers during a plenary session of the Legislature, urging their support.

He said the U.S.' "reciprocal" tariff took effect Aug. 7, and Taiwan negotiated a reduction from the base rate plus 32 percent to the base rate plus a provisional tariff of 20 percent.

Cho noted that some products, including steel, auto parts, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, are excluded from tariffs due to national security reasons under Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act, though discussions with Washington continue.

According to Cho, a reassessment showed the tariff change reduced projected impacts on "exports, production, GDP and jobs" by about half, but the government will still review sectors comprehensively.

Taiwanese industries most affected include hand tools, machine tools, plumbing hardware, heavy electrical equipment and plastic products, while in agriculture, phalaenopsis orchids (moth orchids), edamame soybeans and mahi-mahi fish are also affected, he said.

Cho said the government will provide relief through a special "resilience" budget and will consider overall employment stability, noting that 73 firms and 2,388 workers have already been directly affected by tariffs.

He added that technical talks on tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers, trade facilitation and supply chain resilience are largely complete, though a final agreement has not yet been reached.