In response to the U.S. announcement on August 1st to impose a 20% reciprocal tariff on goods from Taiwan, the leaders of eight counties and cities within the Central Taiwan Regional Governance Platform convened an online meeting this afternoon (August 3rd) to discuss countermeasures. During the video conference, Changhua County Mayor Wang Hui-Mei emphasized that back in April, when the tariff issue was first raised, she had urged the Executive Yuan to promptly release the Harmonized System (HS) codes of the affected industries. She stressed that once Taiwan-U.S. tariff negotiations are finalized and the rates confirmed, a comprehensive tariff schedule and an assessment of the impact on industries should be made public as soon as possible to help businesses evaluate and prepare accordingly. County Mayor Wang also reiterated the importance of legislative involvement in tariff negotiations, a point raised in the previous meeting. President Lai recently stated that any future tariff proposals would require legislative approval. As negotiations remain ongoing, she expressed concern that granting zero-tariff access to U.S. agricultural products could severely impact agricultural counties such as Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, and Chiayi. However, opposing such measures could also weaken Taiwan’s industrial competitiveness. Therefore, close collaboration between local governments, the central administration, and the legislature is essential to formulate effective strategies. She further noted that the central government’s tariff relief plan should not only support affected industries but also include complementary measures for agriculture and labor. Local governments must actively advocate for these provisions to ensure that resources are allocated effectively. County Mayor Wang emphasized the importance of unified efforts between local and central authorities to help industries navigate this challenging period.