TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan sent a position paper to the US outlining its complementary trade and technology relationship, with Economics Minister Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝) stating the US must rely on Taiwan to revitalize its semiconductor manufacturing industry.

The US Commerce Department launched a Section 232 national security investigation into the effects of semiconductor imports on the US supply chain and national security, per the US-Taiwan Business Council. The public comment period for the investigation concluded on May 7, per CNA.

Kuo said Taiwan submitted the position paper to clarify to the US government the complementary nature of their economic, trade, and technological ties. The US sought public input as part of the investigation, which could lead to tariffs or other trade restrictions.

According to Kuo, Taiwanese manufacturers are not afraid of Trump’s tariffs, but they are concerned about being taxed at higher rates than Japan and South Korea.

On April 2, President Donald Trump announced proposed tariffs of 32% on Taiwanese goods, 25% on South Korean goods, and 24% on Japanese goods. The policy, currently paused for 90 days, would place Taiwan at a disadvantage compared to its regional competitors.

Kuo said he believes South Korea’s Samsung will be the most disadvantaged by the tariffs, noting that unlike TSMC and Intel, Samsung has not built an advanced chip plant in the US.

He emphasized Taiwan’s edge over other countries in the semiconductor ecosystem and said TSMC is likely to remain dominant for the next decade.

Moreover, TSMC is a contract chip manufacturer, Kuo said. Tariffs would impact US customers, so TSMC has asked those clients to help lobby the Trump administration. Otherwise, Kuo warned, the price of an iPhone in the US could be higher than in other markets—which is not what the American people want, he said.