台湾跨党派立委代表团 recently completed a five-day visit to the United States. During the trip, the delegation, led by Legislative Vice President Chiang Chi-chen, engaged in discussions with US Senators and Representatives, totaling 10 lawmakers, as well as representatives from think tanks, the business sector, and government agencies.
Chiang emphasized the unique timing of this visit, noting that beyond meetings with US Congress and administrative officials, the delegation exchanged perspectives with various sectors. A key focus was on trade issues, particularly regarding reciprocal tariffs. The Taiwanese side conveyed concerns from its industries about US tariff policies, while the US side expressed expectations for Taiwan to tighten controls over product origin labeling to prevent high-tech chips from being illicitly channeled to third-party markets.
One significant proposal raised by Taiwan during the discussions was the inclusion of military procurement expenditures in the broader context of Taiwan-US trade balance. However, there has been no official response from the US on this suggestion so far.
Additionally, it was confirmed that Taiwan is among the first group of economies targeted by the US for reciprocal tariff negotiations, alongside countries like South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu noted that the US aims to expedite negotiations with Taiwan, though he refrained from disclosing specific progress details.
On the security front, the delegation’s talks touched upon the current situation in the Taiwan Strait, with the US showing significant concern. Reports indicate that the US State Department recently held discussions urging Taiwan to increase its defense budget to over 3% of its GDP. In response, Chiang called on all political parties in Taiwan to prioritize preparations and carefully consider how to allocate future special budgets and additional defense funds in ways that best strengthen Taiwan’s security capabilities.