摘要：The economy ministry and other departments have been monitoring potential of U.S. tariffs these day, and will “urgently” review wh

TMTPost -- The Taiwan leadership is weighing plans to assist the local semiconductor industry following U.S. president Donald Trump’s new tariff threats.

Credit：Xinhua News Agency

The economy ministry and other departments have been monitoring potential of U.S. tariffs these day, and will “urgently” review whether they need to produce more cooperative plans for the semiconductor industry in a day or two, said Cho Jung-tai, Premier of the Executive Yuan, the Taiwan region’s highest administtrative organ.

Cho tried to reassure local people by stressing that “Taiwan has a position in the world’s industry chain that cannot be ignored, and we’ll maintain such advantage.”

Cho called for unity and cooperation in the face of tariff threat. Taiwan has to continue to strive for more cooperation externally to keep its leading position in the industrial and technological sectors, while internally, t needs to be more united, Cho said.

According to Cho, the risk of tariffs is a good opportunity for Taiwan to create better development.

Cho made remarks after Trump on Monday threatened a sweeping tariffs on imports including semiconductor goods.

Speaking to lawmakers from the Trump National Doral hotel and golf club in Miam Monday night, Trump revealed he plans to impose extra tariffs on imported computer chips, semiconductor and pharmaceuticals as well as steel, aluminum and copper, as part of push to revive U.S. manufacturing.

"We have to bring production back to our country," Trump said. "You know, there was a time when we made one ship a day. And now we can't build a ship. We don't know what the hell we're doing. It's all gone to other locations and other lands."

Trump specially named Taiwan, home to to the world’s largest contract chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), in his remarks as he wants impose hefty tariffs on Taiwan-made chips. The president said computer chip production companies "left us and went to Taiwan," and that he wants them back. He reckoned tariffs ranging from "25%, 50% or even a 100% tax" will incentivize semiconductor producers to return in strength and numbers to U.S. shores.

The U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been pushing for a new universal tariffs to start at 2.5% and hike by the same amount each month, and could eventually reach 20%, the Financial Times reported Monday. Trump said he favors in the universal tariff rate “much bigger” than 2.5%.

Trump has repeatedly suggested he could impose levies on Canada, Mexico and China. On January 20, his first day in office, Trump said his administration is thinking of slapping 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico.“We're thinking in terms of 25% on Mexico and Canada, because they're allowing vast numbers of people — Canada's a very bad abuser also — vast numbers of people to come in, and fentanyl to come in,”Trump said. He also said a target date for the tariffs would be “Feb. 1.”

The next day, Trump reiterated the threat and said tariffs on China could come as soon as next month. “We’re talking about a tariff of 10% on China based on the fact that they’re sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada,” Trump told reporters at the White House on January 21. “Probably Feb. 1 is the date we’re looking at,” the newly inaugurated president added. An additional tariff of 10% is lower than Trump threatened last year. As a candidate, he has had pledged to slap 60% tariffs on all goods coming in from China and 10% tariffs on goods imported from all other countries.

“We believe that there’s no winner in a trade or tariff war, and we will firmly uphold our national interests," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning commented on Trump's remark.

In an interview with Fox News last week, Trump said he “would rather not have to use tariffs on China”, but maintained tariff threat, calling tariffs a "tremendous power." The president said "I can do that” when asked if he could make a deal with China over fair trade practices.

来源：钛媒体