Taiwan Shipping Firms Optimistic Despite U.S. Tariff Threat

TaiwanPlus News

The threat of U.S. tariffs after a 90-day pause hasn't dented the spirits of Taiwan's big freight shipping companies. They say there's enough demand to keep things moving, as urgent orders rush in.

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00:00The road to Taipei's container port is packed, as buyers in the U.S. rushed to beat U.S. President Donald Trump's planned tariffs.

00:07There is, for now, a 90-day reprieve on higher import duties from all countries except for China,

00:12and customers are ordering early so their goods arrive before those duties kick in.

00:17At a meeting of shipping firms, the heads of Taiwan's big three freight shippers gave their take on what's happening,

00:23and their responses were generally upbeat.

00:30The head of freight shipper Wanhai says the volume of e-commerce and orders of goods from customized furniture to machine tools

00:43shows that the impact of tariffs so far has been limited.

00:46And there was confidence that, barring a catastrophe, orders from the U.S. won't dry up, tariffs or not.

01:07But recent U.S. policy has been unpredictable, and economists say there may still need to be some caution.

01:25So, rushed orders continue to come in, as budget-minded customers in the U.S. decide now is not the time to wait and see.

01:47Justin Wu and John Van Trieste for Taiwan Plus.

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