Democrats are rumored to be planning to overturn Trump’s tariff agreement. Economic minister: That shouldn’t be the case

Minister of Economic Affairs Gong Mingxin. (File photo)

[Reporter Liao Jianing/Taipei Report] The results of the U.S. midterm elections will affect the development of U.S. President Trump’s policies in the next two years. People from all walks of life are paying attention to the trends in the Taiwan-U.S. tariff agreement and the variables of Taiwanese factories investing in the United States. Minister of Economic Affairs Gong Mingxin said today (5th) that if U.S. congressmen want to overturn Trump's decision, the votes must reach two-thirds. "It should not be like this." Taiwan will strive to protect and consolidate existing results.

Gong Mingxin presided over the 1543rd business briefing of the Ministry of Economic Affairs today and accepted joint interviews with the media before the meeting. The media is concerned about whether Democratic congressmen are planning to push a bill to "suspend Trump's tariffs", which may affect the progress of the Taiwan-US reciprocal trade agreement, the progress of the Texas park development, and the Alaska natural gas investment plan.

In response, Gong Mingxin responded that first of all, the tariff part seems to be continuing, and the U.S. administrative power has determined the direction. "We still work hard to consolidate the results that have been negotiated before." Because if the U.S. Congress wants to overturn Trump's decision, the vote must reach 2/3. "It should not be like this." The Taiwan team is trying its best to consolidate the good results that have been negotiated.

As for the development progress of the Texas park and the Alaska natural gas investment plan, Gong Mingxin said that we have to wait patiently for the final election results in the United States before the United States can determine subsequent personnel arrangements. However, I believe that investment by Taiwanese manufacturers in the United States is a win-win situation for both Taiwan and the United States. It is very helpful for industrial development and job creation. I believe that both the Republican and Democratic parties should welcome it.

In addition, the media is concerned about the progress of TSMC's investment in Texas. It is more appropriate for individual companies to explain it. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is not in a position to comment or explain on its behalf.

The media continued to ask whether economic and trade issues under the leadership of the Democratic Party in Congress are still friendly to Taiwan? Gong Mingxin said that as far as he knows, at least on economic and trade issues, both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are "basically supportive of Taiwan." Taking the Taiwan-US Double Taxation Agreement as an example, the House of Representatives passed it very early, and the Senate has not yet completed the process. This is not because of different opinions, but because of the schedule of the bill. "I still feel that the Republican and Democratic parties still have the same friendly attitude towards Taiwan." The Ministry of Economic Affairs will try its best to promote mutually beneficial and win-win development between the two countries.

Looking forward to the future cooperation between Taiwan and the United States in the AI ​​semiconductor industry, Gong Mingxin said that the semiconductor supply chain ecosystem shaped by Taiwan-US cooperation is the most effective, best, and the model that contributes the most to the world. The effectiveness of cooperation in the past two decades has been demonstrated, and he hopes that the effectiveness of Taiwan-U.S. cooperation can be further expanded in the future.