TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT, 美國在台協會) confirmed Monday (July 21) that tariff negotiations with Taiwan remain ongoing, urging the public to rely on official statements from the White House and Taiwanese officials for accurate information. The announcement came as rumors circulated suggesting Taiwan had received a 32% tariff notification from the United States. Officials emphasized the importance of avoiding misinformation during these sensitive trade discussions.
Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉), a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) legislator, addressed these rumors during a Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's parliament) (立法院) session, labeling them as misinformation. He called on the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA, 經濟部) to firmly refute the claims. Chiu questioned why, if the tariff notification were genuine, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) would still need to travel to the U.S. for a fourth round of negotiations.
AIT responded to inquiries from the Central News Agency (CNA, 中央社), acknowledging media reports citing unnamed sources about the tariff negotiation outcomes. The institute reiterated that discussions remain in progress between American and Taiwanese officials. AIT emphasized the importance of awaiting official announcements rather than relying on unconfirmed reports from anonymous sources during these ongoing trade talks. ◼
