KMT calls for legislative review of Taiwan-U.S. trade agreements

Taipei, Jan. 16 (CNA) The main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), on Friday called on the government to submit all signed agreements between Taiwan and the United States to the Legislature for review, following a new tariff deal that includes a pledge to invest at least US$250 billion in the U.S.

Speaking at a press conference, KMT Legislator Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲) criticized the government for keeping tariff discussions opaque, despite the party repeatedly invoking the Conclusion of Treaties Act to urge the government to disclose negotiation details and brief the Legislature.

Wu, who also heads the party's Culture and Communications Committee, accused the government of withholding information when opposition parties raised questions and said that, even after some details were released Friday morning, the information provided remains severely insufficient.

The lawmaker added that the KMT will continue to look at how Japan and South Korea conducted their trade negotiations with the United States, and urged the government to submit all signed agreements, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), and commitments to the Legislature for public review so Taiwan "does not pay a heavy price."

At the event, KMT spokesperson Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭) said the government should have been more cautious in the negotiations, citing the U.S. Supreme Court's ongoing review of the constitutionality of President Donald Trump's tariffs.

According to Taiwan's Executive Yuan, the United States has agreed to lower tariffs on Taiwanese goods from 20 percent to 15 percent, without stacking them on existing most-favored-nation (MFN) rates.

The agreement, reached in trade negotiations that concluded Thursday (U.S. time), also grants semiconductors and related products the most favorable treatment under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, the Cabinet said.

As part of the agreement, Taiwanese semiconductor, electronics manufacturing service, AI, and energy companies will invest US$250 billion in the U.S. based on their own plans, the Cabinet said.

Taiwan's government has also agreed to provide up to US$250 billion in credit guarantees for financial institutions to support investments in the U.S. market by the semiconductor and information and communication technology sectors.

At a separate event in Taoyuan, KMT Chairperson Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) criticized the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for touting the outcome as a major achievement, saying that after several months Taiwan had only secured the minimum requirement of a 15 percent tariff without stacking.

Cheng said the new tariff rate of 15 percent merely matches U.S. rates on goods from major trade partners such as Japan and South Korea and questioned "what is there to celebrate?"

Taiwan had paid "a heavy price" just to achieve the same outcome as other countries, she said, stressing that Washington also aims to have 40 percent of Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain and production moved to the U.S., which could effectively hollow out the country.

Echoing her views, the smaller opposition Taiwan People's Party (TPP) accused the government of using Taiwan's industrial lifelines as political bargaining chips without democratic oversight.

In a statement, the TPP said the government's pledge to provide up to US$250 billion in credit guarantees to support U.S. investments amounts to "using taxpayers' money to subsidize U.S. industrial policy."

The party also criticized plans for Taiwanese investment in the U.S. energy sector, saying resources should instead be used to strengthen Taiwan's power grid at a time when energy shortages are hampering domestic expansion.