Tariff agreement good for industry: Lai‘LEVELING THE FIELD’: The tariff would be dropped to 15 percent, down from the previous 20 percent, matching rates imposed on Japan, South Korea and the EUStaff writer, with CNAAn agreement reached on Thursday between Taiwan and the US to lower tariffs on Taiwanese goods would benefit local non-tech industries by “leveling the playing field” with major trade competitors, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. “Japan and South Korea had free trade agreements or quasi-free trade agreements with the US, giving Japanese and South Korean goods an advantage over Taiwanese goods,” Lai told reporters in Taichung. Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei TimesNo formal trade deal has yet been signed, with Taiwanese officials hoping it will be concluded in the coming weeks. “Not only will there be a ‘Taiwanese national team’ for US investment, there will also be a ‘US national team’ investing in Taiwan,” Lai said, referring to the MOU. The legislature can then retain or revise the clauses, in which case the treaty must be renegotiated with the other signatory.

Source: Taipei Times January 16, 2026 17:12 UTC