Taiwan has dispatched officials to Washington to engage in discussions regarding potential tariffs that may be imposed by President Donald Trump, as stated by Economy Minister Kuo Jyh-huei on Saturday.

Taiwan‘s technology sector, which includes the world’s leading contract chip manufacturer, TSMC, is bracing for the possibility that Trump may act on his threats to impose tariffs on imported chips. This follows his accusations during last year’s campaign that Taiwan had appropriated American semiconductor business.

On Friday, Trump indicated his intention to announce reciprocal tariffs affecting numerous economies by Monday or Tuesday, marking a significant escalation in his efforts to redefine global trade dynamics in a manner he believes benefits the United States.

In remarks to reporters in Taipei, Kuo mentioned that the ministry has taken steps to prepare for any U.S. tariffs, although he refrained from providing specific details. When questioned about tariffs on chips, Kuo revealed that he had sent a deputy minister and a deputy section chief to Washington, without disclosing their identities or further information.

They aim to provide “as much clarity as possible” to Trump’s team regarding Taiwan’s chip industry, he noted, emphasizing that “Taiwan is the United States’ best partner.” Taiwan has consistently highlighted the mutually beneficial cooperation between its chip sector and U.S. companies.

Additionally, Taiwan maintains a significant trade surplus with the United States, which increased by 83% last year, with exports to the U.S. reaching a record $111.4 billion, largely driven by the demand for high-tech products, particularly semiconductors.

Kuo proposed that Taiwan might consider emulating Japan by increasing its imports of U.S. energy resources. He remarked, “In terms of energy, he has a strong commitment to Japan,” alluding to Trump. “We aspire to meet the expectations of the U.S. in this area.”

Following discussions with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Trump announced on Friday that Japan is set to start importing a historic volume of U.S. liquefied natural gas.