TAIPEI: The major newspapers in Taiwan have focused their lead stories on Wednesday on the announcement by former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding his plans to impose tariffs on goods from China, Canada, and Mexico. The proposed tariffs include a 25% increase on goods made in Canada and Mexico, and a 10% increase on goods made in China.

According to Focus Taiwan, Trump’s decision to raise tariffs marks the beginning of a new phase in trade relations between the United States and these countries. United Daily News highlighted Trump’s intention to use tariffs as a means to address trade deficits and encourage domestic manufacturing. Meanwhile, China Times detailed the specific percentages of the proposed tariff increases, emphasizing the potential impacts on international trade dynamics.

Liberty Times referred to this move as the “first round” of Trump’s tariff war, indicating that the measures might escalate further. Economic Daily News described the tariff impositions as the first shot in building tari
ff barriers, suggesting that these actions could lead to retaliatory measures from the affected countries. Commercial Times warned that Trump’s tariff strategy poses a threat to the economies of China, Canada, and Mexico, potentially sparking a broader trade conflict.

In contrast to the tariff-related news, Taipei Times reported on a different event, noting the large turnout for a baseball team parade, which drew thousands of attendees, indicating a significant public interest in local sports events.