Event Purpose
The
second Trump administration has introduced a flurry of measures and
executive orders at an overwhelming pace. The volatility of these policies
and their profound economic implications are arguably more unpredictable
than the already capricious economic climate itself. Over the past
three-plus months, Trump has relentlessly advanced his tariff policies.
First, Trump announced that effective April 4, a 25% tariff would be imposed
on products from Canada and Mexico. Second, a 25% tariff was applied to
steel and aluminum imports. Subsequently, he declared that a tariff of no
less than 25% would be levied on automobiles. Subsequently, Trump introduced
the concept of “reciprocal tariffs,” proposing that countries imposing
higher tariffs on the U.S. than the U.S. does on them would face additional
tariffs on their imports to the U.S., thereby ensuring a level playing
field. On April 2, Trump announced that, taking into account the trade
surpluses of U.S. trading partners, a universal 10% tariff would be imposed
on all imports. Additionally, higher “reciprocal tariffs” would be levied on
60 countries with the largest trade deficits with the U.S. For Taiwan, a 32%
tariff rate was set, covering all product categories, including food,
agricultural products, electronics, and machinery. Currently, only
semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, precious metals, and energy products are
exempt from these tariffs. On April 9, Trump announced a 90-day suspension
of the “reciprocal tariff” measures, during which only the 10% reciprocal
tariff would apply. However, tariffs on China were increased to 125%, which
resulted in a cumulative tariff rate of 145% when combined with the 20%
tariffs initiated in February and March. The 25% tariffs on Canada and
Mexico remained in effect, as did specific tariffs on industries such as
steel, aluminum, and automobiles. On April 11, the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) issued a notice excluding products such as smartphones,
laptops, hard drives, and computer processing and memory chips from both the
125% tariff on China and the 10% base tariff applied to nearly all global
imports.
Taiwan’s exports to the U.S. have increased dramatically over the last year
or two. They account for more than 20% of overall exports and generate a
trade surplus of over US$70 billion. President Trump’s steep reciprocal
tariffs are expected to significantly impact Taiwan’s electronics,
semiconductor, and traditional industries.
In light of such developments, the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic
Research (CIER) will hold a symposium titled “The Trump Tariff Storm: Think
Tank Perspectives × Policy Response” on April 28. The event will address the
continuously evolving tariff policies introduced by President Trump and
discuss their potential effects on Taiwan’s overall economy, information and
communications technology industries, traditional industries, and SMEs. The
symposium will also examine strategies for the important and ongoing
U.S.-Taiwan trade negotiations. As the U.S.-China trade war intensifies, it
may lead to mutual losses and significantly impact mainland China’s economy.
How Taiwanese businesses should prudently strategize and respond to these
shifts will also become a key topic of discussion. The symposium promises to
be both insightful and engaging. We warmly welcome professionals from all
sectors to register and take part in this significant event.
Organizer:
Chung-Hua
Institution for Economic Research,
2025 Chung-Hua
Financial and Economic Forum Members,
Chung-Hua
Association for Financial and Economic Strategies
Event Date:
April 28, 2025 (Monday), 9:00~12:00
Event Venue:
Tsiang Sho-Chieh International Conference Hall, CIER (B1, No. 75, Changxing
Street, Da’an District, Taipei City)
[Traffic Information]
Participants:
People from industry, government, academia, research institutions, and other
fields
Contact Information:
(02)2735-6006 Ext. 104 for Ms. Sung, Ext. 103 for Ms. Chung. The Center for
Financial and Economic Strategies, CIER
Registration Method:
Online
registration
(http://seminar.cier.edu.tw/Regfrm.asp?id=20250428)
*
Parking is limited at our institution, and we cannot provide parking for
attendees. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your
understanding.
Event Agenda
|
Time |
Agenda |
|
9:00~9:10 |
Opening speech:
President Hsien-Ming Lien
(CIER) |
|
Session 1: Impacts of Trump’s Trade Policies and Response
Strategies
Moderator: President Hsien-Ming Lien (CIER) |
|
9:10~10:10 |
Topic 1: America’s Liberation Day? The Impact of U.S. Reciprocal
Tariffs on Taiwan
Moderator: President Hsien-Ming Lien (CIER)
Topic 2: Analysis of Taiwan-U.S. Negotiation Strategies Under
Reciprocal Tariffs
Moderator: Deputy Director Shu-Fei Yang (The Regional
Development Study Center, CIER)
Topic 3: Impacts of U.S. Reciprocal Tariffs on China and
Response Strategies for Taiwanese Businesses
Moderator: Deputy Director Chia-Hsuan Wu (Chinese Economic
Division, CIER) |
|
10:10~10:30 |
Panel Discussion |
|
Session 2: Strategic Recommendations for Taiwanese Industries in
Response to High U.S. Tariffs Moderator: Vice President
Jiann-Chyuan Wang (CIER) |
|
10:40~11:40 |
Topic 4: Impacts of U.S.-China Decoupling on Taiwan’s Economy
and Response Strategies
Moderator: Vice President Jiann-Chyuan Wang (CIER)
Topic 5: Impacts on Taiwan’s Information and Communication
Technology Industry and Response Strategies
Moderator: Vice President Shin-Horng Chen (CIER)
Topic 6: Impacts on Taiwan’s SMEs and Response Strategies
Moderator: Director Shih-Chang Huang (Taiwan Economic Division,
CIER) |
|
11:40~12:00 |
Panel Discussion |
