Taiwan Ready for US Tariff Talks Anytime, says Taiwan’s Foreign Minister

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister, Lin Chia-lung, on Tuesday, April 8, announced that Taiwan is ready to negotiate with the United States at any time over tariffs.

Last week, President Trump unleashed what he calls ‘reciprocal tariffs’—a 10% baseline on all imports across the world, plus extra pain for big traders like Taiwan, hit with 32%. Why? The U.S. says Taiwan’s racking up a huge trade surplus, thanks to tech giants like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), who make chips for Apple and Nvidia. This tariff is among the highest in Asia and sparked a market reaction in Taiwan, including a bear market in the stock index. Taiwan’s stock index fell by as much as 9.8% on Monday, April 7, 2025, following the holiday.

President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te has been proactive in addressing these issues. He has proposed a zero-tariffs regime with the United States, suggesting that increased investment and the removal of trade barriers could strengthen the bilateral relationship. Taiwan has allocated T$88 billion ($2.65 billion) to support businesses affected by U.S. tariffs announced by President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan on Tuesday, April 8, issued a statement expressing its strong concern about the tariffs and called on Washington to exempt Taiwan from trade actions that could “jeopardize the stability and trust underpinning the U.S.-Taiwan relationship.”