TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) on Monday (April 7) delivered pointed criticism of President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) current approach to the economic challenge. During the briefing outlining its proposed response to President Donald Trump's controversial tariff policies that have rattled global markets, KMT Legislator Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞) presented a multi-pronged strategy, suggesting Taiwan's government should address allegations of currency manipulation as a bargaining chip to secure lower tariffs through direct negotiations with Washington. Ko also stressed the urgent need for market diversification while advocating for strategic investment initiatives in the United States, calling on the Taiwanese government to streamline approval processes for domestic manufacturers seeking to establish production facilities on American soil.
The opposition's economic advisor, Lin Chu-chia (林祖嘉), who serves as consul of the Economic Group at the KMT-affiliated National Policy Foundation (NPF, 國家政策研究基金會), characterized the 32% tariff imposed on Taiwan's high-tech exports to American markets as fundamentally unfair. Lin outlined alternative approaches to ease trade tensions, recommending increased purchases of American military equipment alongside expanded imports of U.S. oil and natural gas, while acknowledging the need to carefully weigh potential impacts on domestic industries. He expressed skepticism regarding the Executive Yuan's (Taiwan's cabinet, 行政院) reported plans to establish a national investment team focused on the U.S. market, citing significant uncertainties surrounding future tariff adjustments that could undermine such initiatives.
Looking beyond U.S. relations, Lin advocated for Taiwan to intensify efforts to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and pursue additional free trade agreements with other nations as crucial steps toward reducing dependence on American markets. Legislator Ko reinforced these points with a call for measured governmental response, emphasizing that Taiwan's citizens must demonstrate national unity during this economic challenge. KMT spokesperson Yang concluded the press conference by reiterating the party's willingness to participate in cross-party discussions on the tariff issue, while challenging President Lai to articulate specific strategies to address the situation. She emphasized the importance of domestic cohesion, urging the president to prioritize national unity over political divisions during what she characterized as an economic crisis facing the island nation.
