Zhu Fenglian Photo: Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council

Asked to comment on foreign media reports that the US and Taiwan island are nearing a trade deal under which TSMC would further invest in the US by building at least five more chip plants, and that public opinion in Taiwan has widely questioned the DPP authorities' approach of exchanging investment for tariff relief, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said on Wednesday that the so-called agreement is economic plunder imposed by Washington through high tariffs. 

The so-called trade deal is the US using high tariffs as a means to carry out economic plundering of Taiwan Island - a scheme to siphon off Taiwan's industrial resources, said Zhu. It exposes the "America First" mentality and the intent to treat the Taiwan island as a pawn. Zhu said, 

The DPP authorities treat the Island's core technological advantages as a tribute to curry favor with external powers, 'kneeling before even starting negotiations' on tariffs, and 'offering the right cheek after slapping on the left' under economic coercion, Zhu said.

Global Times