TAIPEI — Taiwan’s president on Tuesday pledged to purchase extra American items, together with pure gasoline and oil, because the self-governing island seeks nearer ties with the U.S. whereas threatened with a 32% tariff from the Trump administration.
By buying extra U.S. merchandise that additionally embrace weapons and agricultural items, Taiwan wouldn’t solely create “extra balanced bilateral commerce” with the U.S. but in addition increase its power autonomy and resilience, mentioned Lai Ching-te, the island’s chief, whereas internet hosting a U.S. congressional delegation.
Lai additionally mentioned the island can be prepared to take part in U.S. efforts to reindustrialize and to guide the world in synthetic intelligence.
Rep. Bruce Westerman, chair of the Home Pure Sources Committee, informed Lai that the U.S. produces numerous meals and fiber and is “at all times in search of extra associates to share that with.”
Commerce and financial ties between Taiwan and the U.S. have grown nearer lately. The island faces rising strain from China, which sees the island as a part of Chinese language territory and vows to annex it, by drive if vital.
Washington is sure by its personal legal guidelines to supply Taipei with the means to defend itself, and politicians — each Republicans and Democrats — have come to imagine it’s within the U.S. curiosity to discourage Beijing from attacking Taiwan.
Many policymakers and analysts have argued that arming Taiwan contains not solely weapons gross sales however nearer financial and commerce ties so the island is much less susceptible to financial coercion from the mainland.
The U.S. is now the highest vacation spot for Taiwan’s overseas investments, together with $165 billion by Taiwan’s semiconductor large TSMC to construct factories in Arizona to make superior chips. The island is also the seventh largest marketplace for U.S. agricultural exports, Lai mentioned.
Nonetheless, the U.S. buys way more from Taiwan and had a commerce deficit of $116.3 billion in 2024, based on the Workplace of the U.S. Commerce Consultant.
The 32% tariff, as proposed by President Donald Trump as a part of his sweeping tariff plan, is on maintain besides a ten% baseline responsibility. Earlier this month, Lai downplayed the commerce tensions between the U.S. and Taiwan as “frictions between associates.”
The congressional delegation stopped in Taipei as a part of the group’s bigger go to to the Indo-Pacific area by Thursday, based on American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. diplomatic mission on the island.
