Reference News Network, January 21 report (by Ma Hanyan) On the morning of January 21, the Taiwan Affairs Office held a regular press conference. Questions about the US-Taiwan tariff negotiations were concentrated. Some media asked: The US Department of Commerce announced that the US will apply equivalent tariff rates of no more than 15% to goods from Taiwan; the semiconductor and technology companies in Taiwan will make additional direct investments of at least 250 billion US dollars to the US, and the authorities in Taiwan will also provide credit guarantees of at least 250 billion US dollars. The DPP authorities claimed that the tariff negotiation with the US has achieved the set goals, and "Taiwan model" has received support from the US. Another media question was that US Commerce Secretary Rutenberg said in an interview that this agreement is a "strategic priority" for the DPP authorities to maintain the US's "favor", not a simple commercial transaction; the US aims to transfer 40% of the semiconductor supply chain capacity in Taiwan to the US during Trump's term. What is your comment on this?
Chen Qing'en, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office, responded that the so-called US-Taiwan trade negotiations are essentially the US using tariffs as a stick to impose extreme pressure on Taiwan, forcing it to significantly increase investments to the US, and attempting to empty Taiwan's competitive industries. The so-called consensus reached is nothing more than a "contract of sale" by the DPP authorities, selling the welfare and industrial development interests of the people of Taiwan, and a "surrender document" bowing down before economic bullying.
The next step for Taiwan will be to bear the huge investment commitment of 5000 billion US dollars, facing the great risk of transferring 40% of its semiconductor supply chain to the US, and only obtaining the reduction of the so-called "equivalent tariff" rate from 20% to 15%, which was already unreasonable. Whether this deal is fair or reasonable is clear to anyone who can see. However, the DPP authorities do not consider it a shame but take pride in it, trying to deceive the people of Taiwan, beautifying the "sacrificing everything for compromise" as an "important breakthrough", disguising unilateral bullying as "equal cooperation", and packaging "bowing all the way down" as the "Taiwan model". It allows the US to strip Taiwan's industries bare and extract the marrow from the bones of the people of Taiwan. Such incompetence and shamelessness will only completely ruin the development prospects of Taiwan.
The spokesperson also pointed out that the so-called "trade agreement" between the US and Taiwan is essentially an external force colluding with the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, a "contract of sale" that exploits the sweat and blood of the people of Taiwan and empties the foundation of Taiwan's industries, damaging the future of the people and industries of Taiwan.
The huge investment of 5000 billion US dollars is approximately 80% of Taiwan's foreign exchange reserves, equivalent to making every person in Taiwan pay 680,000 New Taiwan dollars (1 New Taiwan dollar is approximately 0.22 Chinese yuan — note by this site), as political donations for the DPP authorities' "relying on foreign powers to seek independence". If 40% of the semiconductor production capacity is transferred to the US, the core industrial advantages of Taiwan will be completely lost, and the "technology island" will become a "hollow island". The DPP authorities are desperately concealing the painful costs they have paid for Taiwan, seeking the favor of the US with the sweat and blood money of the people of Taiwan, selling the country and harming Taiwan, nothing is worse than this.
The spokesperson pointed out that the results of the US-Taiwan tariff negotiations fully prove that "Taiwan independence" is a dead end, and external forces cannot be relied upon. Without the support of a strong motherland, Taiwan can only become a piece of meat in the eyes of external forces, a lamb to be slaughtered at will.
Spokesperson Chen Qing'en of the Taiwan Affairs Office (photo by Ma Hanyan)
Original article: toutiao.com/article/7597670180902191666/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.