Taiwan vice premier returns home after trade agreement signed with U.S.

Taipei, Feb. 15 (CNA) Taiwan's Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) returned to Taiwan on Sunday after the signing of a long-awaited U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement in Washington D.C. on Thursday (U.S. time).

Cheng did not speak to the media upon her arrival at Taoyuan International Airport, except to say, "Thank you, happy New Year!"

In a Facebook post later on Sunday, Cheng said Taiwan secured a non-stacked tariff rate of 15 percent on exports to the United States, describing it as "the best treatment" granted by Washington to countries with which it has a trade deficit.

She said Taiwan also obtained exemptions from tariffs for 2,072 export products, which would reduce the average tariff rate on Taiwanese goods exported to the United States to 12.33 percent.

Reflecting on the process, Cheng wrote that the negotiation team had completed the task assigned by the president and the premier after 10 months.

Cheng said that after the Lunar New Year holiday, and under the direction of Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), the government will send the texts of the trade agreement and the investment memorandum of understanding, along with an overall impact assessment, to the Legislature "as soon as possible."

She also thanked industry representatives, the public and members of the negotiation team, including Minister without Portfolio Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮) and the Office of Trade Negotiations, as well as officials from the National Security Council, for their efforts during the talks.