United States and Taiwan reach trade agreement with chips as the centerpiece

Source: CritpoTendencia Original Title: United States and Taiwan Reach Trade Agreement with Chips as the Epicenter Original Link: https://criptotendencia.com/2026/01/17/estados-unidos-y-taiwan-alcanzan-acuerdo-comercial-con-los-chips-como-epicentro-2/ The Taiwanese government and the White House have reached a trade agreement that reduces the load of reciprocal tariffs driven by President Donald Trump.

The understanding includes a reduction of tariffs applied to the island’s exports, which will decrease from 20% to no more than 15%. In exchange, Taipei commits to making large-scale investments aimed at developing the semiconductor sector within the United States.

According to a recent report by Nikkei Asia, representatives from both parties have achieved a balance point in their trade relations. The tariff reduction is expected to be offset by estimated investments of around $250 billion from Taiwan.

The goal is to expand chip production, artificial intelligence-related capacity, and energy generation within the United States.

This aspect is key for the United States to maintain leadership in the technological race against China. The U.S. Department of Commerce stated that credit guarantees of at least $250 billion should be offered to facilitate additional investments by Taiwanese companies. The agency added that these measures will contribute to the expansion of the entire supply chain and the semiconductor ecosystem in the United States.

It is worth noting that the Taiwanese giant TSMC is already advancing with large-scale investments on U.S. soil. In fact, last year the company announced an additional commitment of $100 billion, reflecting Taiwanese authorities’ determination to preserve strong strategic relations with Washington.

The Taiwan-U.S. Agreement Is Mutually Beneficial

While Taiwan faces a more urgent need to finalize a trade deal, the United States also gains significant benefits.

These are not limited solely to attracting investments and developing technological infrastructure but extend to the geopolitical level and strategic competition with China. Both Taiwan and the United States maintain a close relationship aimed at containing Beijing’s expanding influence.

As is widely known, Taiwan is considered by China as a province that established its own government after the civil war between the Communist Party and the Kuomintang. Since then, reunification has been among the priorities of the Chinese government, which claims it is an inevitable process.

To avoid that scenario, Taiwan heavily depends on Washington’s support, prompting it to seek trade and strategic agreements with the United States. However, eventual reunification would not only have consequences for Taiwan.

For the United States, it would mean China taking control of TSMC and, consequently, the world’s most advanced chips, a development that would significantly weaken the U.S. position in the global technological competition.

From this perspective, the agreement reached between Taiwanese and U.S. authorities is seen as a key element to sustain the ties that limit China’s expanding influence in the region.

Furthermore, it is highlighted that this understanding with Taiwan follows similar negotiations by Washington with countries like South Korea and Japan, reinforcing a broader regional strategy.

Relations with Mainland China

A relevant aspect of this agreement is that it reflects one facet of the Trump administration’s trade policy in Asia. While negotiations with Taiwan conclude with tariffs of 15% on its exports, the trade truce with mainland China remains in effect.

However, despite this truce, tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese-origin products exceed 47%. This contrast highlights that the trade relationship between Washington and Beijing remains marked by high tension, with a scenario prone to new episodes of friction.