Taiwan’s Lai Floats Zero Tariffs on US Goods to Placate Trump

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said his government could eliminate duties on US products if Washington did the same, the latest overture from the self-run democracy as it seeks to placate its main military backer.

“While Taiwan already maintains low tariffs, with an average nominal rate of 6%, we are willing to further cut this rate to zero on the basis of reciprocity with the US,” Lai wrote in a piece for Bloomberg Opinion on Thursday.