Taiwan pledges to purchase extra American items as a 32% tariff looms

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 embody weapons and agricultural items, Taiwan wouldn’t solely create “extra balanced bilateral commerce” with the U.S. but additionally enhance its power autonomy and resilience, stated Lai Ching-te, the island’s chief, whereas internet hosting a U.S. congressional delegation.

Lai additionally stated the island can be keen to take part in U.S. efforts to reindustrialize and to steer 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 searching for extra pals 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 power if needed.

Washington is sure by its personal legal guidelines to offer Taipei with the means to defend itself, and politicians — each Republicans and Democrats — have come to consider 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 weak to financial coercion from the mainland.

The U.S. is now the highest vacation spot for Taiwan’s international investments, together with $165 billion by Taiwan’s semiconductor big TSMC to construct factories in Arizona to make superior chips. The island is also the seventh largest marketplace for U.S. agricultural exports, Lai stated.

Nevertheless, the U.S. buys much more from Taiwan and had a commerce deficit of $116.3 billion in 2024, in keeping with 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 obligation. Earlier this month, Lai downplayed the commerce tensions between the U.S. and Taiwan as “frictions between pals.”

The congressional delegation stopped in Taipei as a part of the group’s bigger go to to the Indo-Pacific area via Thursday, in keeping with American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. diplomatic mission on the island.