讀後心得

On April 2, U.S. President Trump announced the imposition of large-scale reciprocal tariffs. Cambodia's furniture industry is facing a high tariff of 49%, leading Taiwanese businessman謝智通 (Hsieh Chih-Tung) to reconsider expansion plans. Chinese manufacturers are under pressure from a 79% tariff, and even price cuts and subsidies cannot solve the problem. Hsieh originally planned to increase investment and make acquisitions, but if Cambodia's tariffs on U.S. products cannot be reduced to below 20%, advancement will not be possible. The Prime Minister of Cambodia has requested the U.S. to lower import tariffs on American products, hoping to postpone the implementation of reciprocal tariffs. Many companies are affected due to trade tensions, and the future market situation remains to be observed.

The President of the United States recently announced a large-scale "reciprocal tariff" plan. Although Taiwanese businesses have established furniture operations in Cambodia, they must reassess their local expansion plans in the face of a high 49% tariff imposed by the U.S. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers are confronted with a 79% tariff, and he stated that even with a 10% price reduction subsidy, it cannot solve the problem. However, he remains optimistic about tariff negotiations in Southeast Asia.

In previous trade wars, the U.S. had imposed a 25% tariff on certain Chinese goods exported to the U.S., which was subsequently raised to 34% in the following months. Currently, the tariff rate on some Chinese goods has reached 79%.

Many Chinese companies have started to shift their production bases to Southeast Asia to avoid the trade war, and Taiwanese businesses are doing the same, particularly in the furniture industry. Some companies plan to expand their production bases to Cambodia; however, their plans are impacted by tariffs. Importers generally operate under a profit margin of about 30%, and a 49% tariff imposes economic pressure, leading many export companies to receive notifications to halt shipments.

Facing a 54% tariff, Taiwan's traditional industries are almost all affected. If the situation does not improve, they will inevitably distance themselves from China-U.S. trade. The Prime Minister of Cambodia has sent a letter to the U.S. expressing hope to lower import tariffs to reach an agreement and looks forward to negotiating with the U.S. to improve trade relations.

With the Chinese government announcing various countermeasures, the overall market atmosphere remains watchful, and there is hope for clearer circumstances in the future. Southeast Asia is expected to achieve certain outcomes in negotiations with the U.S., particularly since Cambodia's trade volume is relatively small.