TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Vice-Premier Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) arrived in Taipei early Saturday morning after taking part in the third-round of in-person trade talks with the US. 

Cheng arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International  Airport at 5:30 a.m. She greeted reporters at the airport but made no comment on any potential trade deal with the Trump administration, reported UDN. 

Taiwan was originally slapped with a tariff rate of 32% in May that was temporarily suspended until July 9.  With several days having passed since the Trump administration’s reimposition of the original tariffs, Taiwan awaits news of the adjusted tariff rate and trade agreement.

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) reportedly held a late-night phone call with the negotiating team in Washington on Monday, per UDN. The indications are that talks are progressing and that Taiwan’s restriction on meat imports may be a sticking point for negotiations, per UDN.

Based on US tariff rates of 25% that target Japan and South Korea, and 20% for Vietnam and the Philippines, some analysts anticipate a rate of between 15% and 20% for Taiwan. New rates are expected to take effect from the beginning of August. 

Cheng Li-chun has been at the head of trade talks with the US for the past two months, with in-person talks held in South Korea in May, and a second round held in Washington in late June.