Taiwan’s trade negotiators arrived in Washington late last week and held discussions with their U.S. counterparts aimed at lowering the 20% tariff imposed on the island, a person familiar with the matter said.
Among the issues discussed was Taiwanese investment in the U.S., according to the person, who asked not to be identified as the information is private. Officials were also seeking favorable treatment for their semiconductor industry that’s facing further tariffs under a national security review, the person added.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick earlier this week publicly demanded Taiwan to move more investment and chip production to the U.S. so half of American demand is manufactured locally. That would mark a radical shift for the global chip sector and Taiwan’s domestic economy.
A spokesperson for Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. It wasn’t clear if more talks were scheduled or if the trip had wrapped.
Despite the chip demands, the Taiwanese delegation described the meetings as "positive,” according to the person familiar. The island’s pledge earlier this month to buy $10 billion in soy beans and other goods over the next four years helped improve the tone, the person added.
Luke Lindberg, a top U.S. envoy on agricultural trade issues, arrived in Taiwan on Monday, marking the highest-ranking cabinet official visit to Taiwan since 2020.
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