How Will the Trade Ceasefire Impact Taiwan?|中美貿易戰休兵 國內專家:隨時再引爆

China and U.S. have called a ceasefire on their trade war. However, experts are not so optimistic, saying the announcement only reveals a general direction with no details. Together with U.S. President Donald Trump's tendency for flip-flopping, some worry another trade war could begin any time soon.


China and the U.S. have called a halt to their trade war, but domestic experts warn that another trade war could erupt without warning. The experts say concrete measures are needed due to the US$200 billion trade deficit issue.

What is the future of [Section] 301? We don't know. What will happen with ZTE? They didn't say. They've only had general discussions. President Trump didn't even mention it on Twitter. He often good with Xi Jiping on one day and then blasting him the next. It may only be a temporary ceasefire.

China says the trade deficit will be addressed through amendments to patent laws and increased imports from the U.S. Analysts say this may have a crowding-out effect on Taiwanese products.

(There's no triangle trade.) It's only Taiwan. Machinery, petrochemicals, rubber and plastic -- these are the industries that may be affected because these are the things China can buy from someone else.

Despite the trade war ceasefire, the U.S. will keep its tariff on imported aluminum and steel from China. Taiwan, meanwhile, is still excluded from the exempted countries list. Executive Yuan Office of Trade Negotiations Chief Representative John Deng, who previously traveled to the U.S. to plead Taiwan's case, says negotiations are ongoing.

Nothing has changed on the aluminum and steel front. Of course, we will continue negotiating with the U.S. We hope to get Taiwan on the (tariff) exemption (list).

Experts says the impact on Taiwan's economy and electronics industry will be limited because of the triangular trade relationship between Taiwan, China and the U.S. with China assembling and Taiwan exporting goods for U.S. brands.