Taipei mayor urges action on U.S. tariff delay impact

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) delivered an urgent appeal for economic intervention Thursday (April 10) as the island nation braces for potential trade disruptions from renewed American tariffs. Mayor Chiang met with Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) at the Executive Yuan (行政院), Taiwan's cabinet, to discuss strategies addressing President Donald Trump's recent announcement of a temporary 90-day postponement of 10% reciprocal tariffs affecting 75 countries, including Taiwan.

During the high-level briefing, Mayor Chiang presented a seven-point proposal focused on preserving Taiwan's economic stability amid looming trade uncertainties. His recommendations emphasized the urgent need to secure fair competition conditions throughout the Asia-Pacific region to maintain Taiwan's manufacturing edge while addressing the disproportionate impact tariffs would have on Taipei's industrial base. The mayor, whose city serves as Taiwan's financial and technological hub, called for unprecedented coordination between municipal authorities and national ministries to develop a unified response to what he characterized as a nationwide economic challenge.

Chiang's proposal advocated for aggressive diplomatic engagement with Washington to secure preferential treatment for Taiwanese exporters while simultaneously pursuing strategic manufacturing partnerships with Southeast Asian nations to establish U.S.-based assembly facilities. The mayor emphasized the critical need for enhanced market intelligence gathering and bilateral trade agreements to help Taipei-based businesses diversify their export destinations. Breaking from typical technology-focused concerns, Chiang highlighted that potential tariffs would devastate sectors beyond information communication technology and mechanical components, calling for comprehensive support packages that address the full spectrum of affected industries.

The mayor's economic assessment warned that trade-related uncertainty threatens to paralyze consumer confidence and domestic spending, necessitating swift government stimulus measures to maintain market momentum. His presentation raised alarms about imminent workforce reductions through furloughs or outright layoffs as companies tighten expenditures in anticipation of reduced exports. Chiang emphasized a three-pronged approach focusing on industrial stabilization, employment protection, and economic resilience, calling for coordinated interventions from national ministries responsible for labor policy, financial regulation, and industrial development.

The mayor's workforce protection strategy called for expanding public sector employment through new government positions while creating temporary job programs for displaced workers and implementing comprehensive retraining initiatives for affected employees. Chiang advocated for emergency fiscal transfers to municipal governments facing budget shortfalls and stressed the importance of accelerating digital transformation investments. His long-term vision emphasized fundamental industrial restructuring and establishing equitable competitive conditions, underscoring that navigating these economic challenges would require unprecedented cooperation between all levels of Taiwan's government.

Premier Cho acknowledged the mayor's comprehensive proposals with appreciation during the cabinet session, assuring that the national government would thoroughly evaluate the recommendations. The premier immediately directed the Ministry of Finance (財政部) to investigate potential tax deferment options for affected businesses, signaling the administration's willingness to consider fiscal relief measures as part of its broader response to the looming trade challenges facing Taiwan's export-dependent economy.