Taiwan's government said Monday that state-owned energy company CPC Corporation is ready to increase its imports of natural gas from the United States, following U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs on semiconductor chips from the island.
Taiwan relies on imports for almost all of its energy needs. Official data says about 38 percent of its natural gas supplies come from Australia, 25 percent from Qatar and less than 10 percent from the United States.
Trump, who has promised a "golden age" for the United States, has threatened to impose tariffs on several major trading partners in an effort to address the trade imbalance.
"CPC Corporation, considering factors such as shorter shipping routes and dispersed transportation routes, is indeed very interested in Alaskan natural gas," the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a statement.
"The company will continue to evaluate the feasibility and is ready to increase the purchase volume."
The remarks came after Trump threatened to impose tariffs on foreign-made chips, as a move to encourage companies to move production to the United States.
Taiwan is the world's leading producer of chips, used in everything from Apple's iPhone to Nvidia's artificial intelligence hardware. The chip industry is also a major pillar of the country's economy.
Trump, who has accused Taiwan of stealing America's chip industry, recently threatened to impose taxes of up to 100 percent on imported semiconductors from the island.
Economy Minister Kuo Jyh-huei told reporters Saturday (Dec 8) that he would send a representative to the United States to discuss potential tariffs with "people in Trump's circle.
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