讀後心得

U.S. President Trump announced the imposition of high tariffs on imports from 185 countries, escalating the trade war. Although the U.S. continues to have a trade deficit in goods, it holds an advantage in service trade, with annual revenues nearing $300 billion. EU officials have stated that they have developed countermeasures, targeting the U.S. service sector as a primary retaliatory objective. Reports indicate that the U.S. has strong service exports in high-value areas such as finance, tourism, and cloud technology. If the EU takes action, it will directly impact U.S. service exports and impose economic pressure on Silicon Valley and Wall Street.

The United States has an advantage in service trade, which could become a target for retaliation from various countries.

The U.S. President recently announced high tariffs on imports from 185 countries, escalating trade tensions once again. While the U.S. continues to face a deficit in goods trade, it performs outstandingly in the service trade sector, with annual revenue nearing $300 billion (approximately NT$9.9 trillion). EU officials noted that they have developed countermeasures, focusing on the U.S. service industry as a target for retaliation.

Reports indicate that the U.S. is the largest service exporter in the world, covering high value-added areas such as finance, tourism, engineering, healthcare, and cloud technology. Many of these services are exported digitally, such as foreign tourists spending in the U.S., international audiences subscribing to streaming platforms, and businesses purchasing U.S. cloud services. These digital services continue to bring considerable profits to the U.S.

It is expected that the U.S. service trade surplus will reach $300 billion in 2024; economists point out that the trade surplus from digital content and services alone could be as high as $600 billion (approximately NT$19.9 trillion), nearly equivalent to France's entire annual export volume.

The regional director of Eurasia Group stated that Europe possesses significant leverage in the service industry. He mentioned that the U.S. high tariff policy has led to a chain reaction, and many European countries are planning to shift their focus of retaliation towards service trade. The EU is also prepared to activate the "Anti-Coercion Tool," which grants member states broad means of retaliation, possibly including raising service import thresholds, restricting market access, and modifying intellectual property rules, as a direct response to U.S. tariff policies.

EU officials noted that in recent years, the EU has intensified regulations on tech giants, including companies like Google, Apple, and Meta, all of which have been forced to adjust their operational policies in the European market. Once the EU takes action, it will directly impact America's most profitable industries, severely hurt service exports, and could deal a significant blow to Silicon Valley tech companies and Wall Street financial institutions, putting the U.S. under immense economic pressure.