Eight local government leaders on Monday held an online meeting to discuss countermeasures in response to the 32 percent tariff on Taiwanese goods announced by US President Donald Trump last week.
In a joint statement after the meeting, the eight leaders urged the central government to act swiftly, protect workers and safeguard vulnerable industries.
They also called on the legislature to expedite the approval of a proposed NT$88 billion (US$2.67 billion) assistance package for affected industries and businesses.
Photo courtesy of the Taichung City Government
Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) organized the virtual conference with the mayors and county commissioners of Hsinchu city and county, Chiayi City, and Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou and Yunlin counties.
Lu said the tariffs would “severely impact” her city’s export-driven manufacturing sector.
Hsinchu County Commissioner Yang Wen-ke (楊文科), Acting Hsinchu City Mayor Andy Chiu (邱臣遠) and Miaoli County Commissioner Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦) all voiced support for the central government’s proposed NT$88 billion assistance plan.
Changhua County Commissioner Wang Huei-mei (王惠美) stressed the importance of swift action, urging the central government to quickly understand the details of the US tariff policy to help businesses make more informed decisions.
Yunlin County Commissioner Chang Li-shan (張麗善) raised concerns about potential company closures and employee layoffs, and urged collaboration between local governments to strengthen the social safety net for workers.
Chiayi City Mayor Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠) recommended that aside from ensuring that state-funded banks do not tighten credit, the central government should also offer affected businesses preferential interest rates or tax reductions.
Nantou County Commissioner Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) called on the central government to ensure that vulnerable sectors, such as agriculture, would not be “sacrificed” during tariff negotiations with the US.
The eight leaders — six from the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), one from the Taiwan People’s Party and one independent — also urged the Democratic Progressive Party-led central government to collaborate with local governments to help mitigate the potential impact of the tariff on local businesses.
Meanwhile, the mayors of four KMT-run cities in northern Taiwan — Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan and Keelung — are scheduled to meet today to discuss the potential impact of the Trump tariff on local industries and possible responses, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said.
The mayors would exchange views on several issues, including the impact of the tariffs, subsidies, price monitoring and industrial transformation, Chiang said.
DEFENSE: The National Security Bureau promised to expand communication and intelligence cooperation with global partners and enhance its strategic analytical skills China has not only increased military exercises and “gray zone” tactics against Taiwan this year, but also continues to recruit military personnel for espionage, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said yesterday in a report to the Legislative Yuan. The bureau submitted the report ahead of NSB Director-General Tsai Ming-yen’s (蔡明彥) appearance before the Foreign and National Defense Committee today. Last year, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted “Joint Sword-2024A and B” military exercises targeting Taiwan and carried out 40 combat readiness patrols, the bureau said. In addition, Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s airspace 3,070 times last year, up about
The Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) yesterday announced a fundraising campaign to support survivors of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, with two prayer events scheduled in Taipei and Taichung later this week. “While initial rescue operations have concluded [in Myanmar], many survivors are now facing increasingly difficult living conditions,” OCAC Minister Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) told a news conference in Taipei. The fundraising campaign, which runs through May 31, is focused on supporting the reconstruction of damaged overseas compatriot schools, assisting students from Myanmar in Taiwan, and providing essential items, such as drinking water, food and medical supplies,
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 8:31am today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was located in Hualien County, about 70.3 kilometers south southwest of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 23.2km, according to the administration. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County, where it measured 3 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 2 in Hualien and Nantou counties, the CWA said.
STRICTER ENFORCEMENT: Taipei authorities warned against drunk cycling after a sharp rise in riding under the influence, urging greater public awareness of its illegality Taipei authorities have issued a public warning urging people not to ride bicycles after consuming alcohol, following a sharp rise in riding under the influence (DUI) cases involving bicycles. Five hundred and seven people were charged with DUI last year while riding YouBikes, personal bicycles, or other self-propelled two-wheelers — a fourfold increase from the previous year, data released by the Taipei Police Department’s Traffic Division showed. Of these, 33 cases were considered severe enough to be prosecuted under “offenses against public safety,” the data showed. Under the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例), bicycles — including YouBikes and other
RSS