‘MONEY TALK’: Legislator Lai Shyh-bao urged the premier to use the Taiwan Travel Act to make clear Taiwan’s stance on the tariffs, which could cut national GDP by 0.8 percent
Taipei Times
Date: Mar 24, 2018
By: Sean Lin / Staff reporter
Taiwan will try to negotiate with the US to be exempted from punitive tariffs imposed by
Premier William Lai, left, accompanied by Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin, speaks at a question-and-answer session at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Washington to curb its trade deficit with China, Premier William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday.
During a question-and-answer session at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) asked the premier why Taiwan was not on a list of nations exempted from the US’ 25 percent steel and 10 percent aluminum tariffs, which took effect yesterday.
The US seems to be showing more goodwill toward Taiwan, with US President Donald Trump signing the Taiwan Travel Act, which allows high-level visits between officials on both sides, but when it comes to “money talk,” Taiwan has not been spared from the US’ punishment, Lai Shyh-bao said.
Lai Shyh-bao said Minister Without Portfolio John Deng (鄧振中) is inept because he said that Taiwan is unlikely to be exempted from the tariffs before leaving for Washington to negotiate mitigating the effects the tariffs would have on Taiwan. [FULL STORY]
