Taiwan Pushes Zero-Tariff Deal with U.S. Amid Semiconductor Tariff Talks

Taiwan and the United States held their first official talks on tariffs this Friday, signaling a potential shift in trade relations between the two economies. The virtual meeting, hosted by Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations, focused on resolving tariff disputes and strengthening bilateral economic ties. Key topics included reciprocal tariff reductions, non-tariff trade barriers, and export controls.

Taiwan, a global semiconductor powerhouse and home to chip giant TSMC, currently faces a steep 32% U.S. tariff on some of its exports. During the talks, Taiwan criticized the tariffs as unfair and proposed a zero-tariff regime. It also expressed willingness to increase purchases and investments in the U.S. market to balance trade relations.

While the U.S. Trade Representative has yet to comment on the discussions, Taiwan reported both sides are eager to continue negotiations in the near future. The goal is to establish a robust and stable economic partnership, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between the two.

The talks come just days after U.S. President Donald Trump temporarily eased tariffs on several countries but signaled heightened pressure on China. Taiwan, which has long sought a free trade agreement with the U.S., sees this as a strategic opportunity to strengthen economic collaboration with its top security and trade ally.

Amid growing political and military pressure from China, which claims the self-ruled island as its territory, Taiwan reiterated its position that only its people can determine the island’s future. Taiwan’s government continues to reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims, asserting its democratic identity and commitment to open trade.

The Taiwan-U.S. trade dialogue marks a critical step in aligning strategic economic interests in the Indo-Pacific region.