KMT legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) questioned the slow progress of Taiwan-U.S. tariff negotiations, but Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) responded that both sides are continuing discussions and that talks have entered their final stage.

Negotiations between the United States and Taiwan have been ongoing since U.S. President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariff policy took effect on August 7. Taiwan currently faces a temporary 20% tariff rate under a cumulative framework, making the outcome of the talks a major point of concern for industry observers.

During a legislative session on Tuesday, Lai noted that Japan and South Korea had already finalized their tariff agreements with Washington, while Taiwan’s talks appeared stalled. He pressed the government to clarify when an agreement could be reached and whether it could be completed by the end of the year.

Cho replied that the negotiations are in close coordination and near completion but said the timetable must be aligned with the U.S. side.

“Both Taiwan and the United States hope to move as quickly as possible. This is not something our side alone can decide. If I were to set a date, I would have an expectation, but the U.S. cannot simply follow our timeline. We will do our best to move quickly, and I assure you that there should be some progress soon,” Cho said.

Meanwhile, Economic Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said the U.S. reciprocal tariffs are broad-based rather than country-specific. He added that if the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately overturns the measures, Taiwan will assess the impact on global trade and seek remedies for affected businesses.