TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's government will roll out comprehensive relief measures to shield local manufacturers from the growing impact of reciprocal tariffs imposed by the United States, Economic Minister J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) announced Wednesday (April 16). The Ministry of Economic Affairs plans to help companies facing order reductions by developing alternative markets beyond American shores.
Addressing legislators' concerns during a session with the Legislative Yuan's Economics Committee (立法院經濟委員會), Minister Kuo defended his understanding of public hardships. He stated that he comes from the private sector, so he understands the potential difficulties faced by local people. Kuo further revealed that Taiwan has already initiated video conferences with U.S. counterparts and stressed that negotiations would continue as an ongoing process rather than a singular event.
When pressed by reporters about Taiwan's strategy to diversify international trade relationships beyond the United States, including its ongoing bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Minister Kuo confirmed the government would intensify efforts to strengthen economic ties with other global trading partners.
In a significant development for Taiwan's technology sector, AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su (蘇姿丰) visited Taiwan earlier this week, while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) is scheduled to attend the 2025 COMPUTEX exhibition in May. Responding to media interest in these tech giants' investment plans, Minister Kuo disclosed that the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA, 經濟部) is actively negotiating with both companies about establishing research and development centers in Taiwan. He noted that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company continues to handle chip production while expanding facilities to better accommodate client needs. ★
