TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs JW Kuo (郭智輝) stated on Saturday (Feb. 8) that Taiwan has dispatched a deputy minister and vice director to Washington, D.C., after U.S. President Trump announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on TSMC (台積電).
Minister Kuo, attending the "2025 Taiwan-U.S.-Asia New Supply Chain Business Opportunities Forum" (2025台．美．亞洲－新供應鏈商機交流論壇) discussed Taiwan's strategic response to Trump's tariff policy. He assured that Taiwan has prepared for various scenarios, though he refrained from revealing details publicly to safeguard Taiwan's interests.
He stressed that Taiwan did not steal semiconductor technology and highlighted the mutual respect for intellectual property rights between the two nations. Hence, the senior officials aim to clarify misunderstandings, and emphasized Taiwan remains a steadfast partner to the U.S.
Kuo expressed that communication with the U.S. has been challenging, prompting the Ministry of Economic Affairs (經濟部) to send representatives to engage with Trump's team. He reiterated Taiwan's role in capital expenditure within the semiconductor industry, aligning with the U.S.'s design and distribution efforts.