BEIJING, (Xinhua) — The so-called “consensus” reached by Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in tariff talks with the United States amounts to a betrayal of the well-being of Taiwan people and the interests of its industrial development, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Peng Qing’en, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press conference when asked to comment on the recent tariff talks between the DPP authorities and the United States.
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that Taiwan will make new, direct investments totaling at least 250 billion U.S. dollars in the United States through its semiconductor and technology enterprises, and will provide credit guarantees of at least 250 billion U.S. dollars for Taiwan companies investing in the United States, in exchange for a reciprocal U.S. tariff rate on Taiwan-made goods of no more than 15 percent.
The DPP authorities claimed that these tariff talks with the United States had achieved their goals.”The so-called trade talks are in essence the United States using tariffs to exert maximum pressure, coercing Taiwan to sharply increase investment in the United States and attempting to hollow out Taiwan’s advantageous industries,” the spokesperson said. The DPP’s tolerance of the United States plundering Taiwan’s industries will “only completely jeopardize the island’s development prospects,” Peng noted.
