Trump Threatens 200% Tariffs on China: What It Means for Taiwan

Tariffs on China

Trump says he will impose 150% to 200% tariffs on China if it enters Taiwan

In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump outlined his stance on China and Taiwan, proposing significant tariffs on China and expressing skepticism about the U.S. commitment to defending Taiwan, suggesting that the island should primarily fund its defense. While Trump emphasized his strong relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as a deterrent to military conflict, he also hinted that under his leadership, an invasion of Taiwan might be avoided.

In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris reaffirmed the U.S. one-China policy and Taiwan’s right to self-defense, indicating a commitment to enhancing Taiwan’s defense capabilities. A poll from Taiwan revealed that nearly half of respondents believe the likelihood of U.S. military intervention would decrease if Trump were to win the 2024 election, reflecting growing concerns about U.S. support for Taiwan under a potential Trump presidency.

Key Concepts

• Former President Donald Trump proposed imposing high tariffs on China if military action is taken against Taiwan.
• Trump believes his strong relationship with Xi Jinping could prevent conflict over Taiwan.
• He has suggested broad tariffs on imports to enhance U.S. manufacturing.
• Trump’s stance on Taiwan’s defense is skeptical, emphasizing Taiwan should fund its defense.
• Vice President Kamala Harris reaffirmed the U.S. one-China policy while supporting Taiwan’s self-defense.
• A poll in Taiwan indicates that many Taiwanese citizens doubt U.S. military intervention under a potential Trump presidency.
• Trump’s past remarks included a warning to Xi Jinping regarding Taiwan and aggressive responses to an invasion.
• There are contrasting views among political figures regarding the U.S. commitment to Taiwan’s defense.
• Concerns are growing in Taiwan about the reliability of U.S. support against potential Chinese aggression.
• The upcoming presidential election on November 5 will see Trump face off against Kamala Harris.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, former US Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump said he would impose additional tariffs of up to 150% to 200% on China if it “entered” Taiwan.

“I would say if you (China) go into Taiwan, and I’m sorry to do that, I’m going to tax you 150 to 200 percent,” Trump said in an interview published in the Wall Street Journal on Friday evening.

When asked if he would use military force to counter China’s blockade of Taiwan, Trump said he would not do so because Chinese President Xi Jinping respects him.

“I have a very strong relationship with him,” Trump said. “I don’t need to (use military force) because he respects me and he knows I’m extremely crazy (unconventional),” he said in the interview.

Trump, who will face Democratic presidential candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election, has proposed sweeping tariffs of 10% to 20% on nearly all imports and 60% or higher on goods from China, saying the measures would boost U.S. manufacturing.

The former U.S. president was asked a similar question during an interview with Bloomberg News editor-in-chief at the Economic Club of Chicago on Tuesday.

When asked whether the United States would defend Taiwan if China invaded it, Trump did not give a direct answer, but he said: “The reason (China) is doing this now is that they won’t do it in the future.” He also hinted that if elected, China would not invade Taiwan at all.

When asked about similar issues by the media at the Detroit airport in Michigan on Tuesday, Harris reiterated the United States’ one-China policy and Taiwan’s position that it has the right to defend itself. In an exclusive interview with the CBS news program “60 Minutes” on October 7, Harris pointed out that the United States must ensure that its one-China policy is maintained, including supporting Taiwan’s ability to defend itself.

In past media interviews and speeches, Trump has shown that his position on how to deal with the conflict between Taiwan and China has been changing repeatedly.

Michael McCaul, chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, told the U.S. online media “NOTUS” in August that Trump confided to him in the last year of his presidency: “I told Xi Jinping that if you invade Taiwan, I will blow you to pieces.”

Earlier, Trump mentioned in an exclusive interview with Bloomberg Businessweek at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida on June 25 this year that it is difficult to defend Taiwan, which is halfway around the world. “I think Taiwan should pay for our defense.”

However, The Washington Post reported in May this year that Trump again mentioned at a fundraiser that if China invaded Taiwan during his term, he would bomb Beijing in response.

A new Taiwanese poll shows that if Trump wins the 2024 US presidential election, nearly half of Taiwanese respondents believe that the possibility of the United States sending troops to assist in the defense of Taiwan if China attacks will decrease.

According to the results of the annual “American Portrait” survey released by the Institute of European and American Studies of the Academia Sinica on July 18 this year, the latest wave of surveys conducted from May 23 to May 28 this year showed that if Trump wins the 2024 US presidential election, only 37.5% of Taiwanese respondents believe that the United States will send troops to assist China if it attacks Taiwan, and 46.2% believe that the possibility of the United States sending troops to defend Taiwan will decrease.