RESERVED RESPONSE: The ministry said it would wait to see how the aluminum and steel tariffs will be enforced, while there has been a flurry of threats from other nations

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 05, 2018
By: Staff writer, with CNA and AFP

The US’ plan to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum would undermine free trade in the global market, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said on Friday last week.

The comments came after US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that his administration would impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports as early as next week.

The US plans to order tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum, but it remains unclear whether the high duties are to be applied to imports from all countries.

The ministry said it would wait to see how the US implements the tariffs before assessing their effects on Taiwanese exporters, but stressed that such measures reflect the trade protectionism that Trump has advocated and would no doubt negatively affect global trade.    [FULL  STORY]