Taipei: Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers on Sunday called on the government to clarify whether the trade agreement signed with the United States last month remains valid and to spell out relief measures for affected industries ahead of Premier Cho Jung-tai's scheduled report to the Legislative Yuan on March 3. KMT lawmaker Wang Hung-wei emphasized the need for the government to "explain clearly" the status of the agreement, citing current uncertainties.

According to Focus Taiwan, the uncertainty arises from the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were invalid. The implications of this ruling on the U.S.-Taiwan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), signed in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 12, remain unclear, especially in light of a global 10 percent tariff announced by the Trump administration under the 1974 U.S. Trade Act post-ruling.

Trump has indicated plans to increase the global tariff rate to 15 percent, though no formal directive has been issued. Given the wide-ranging implications of the U.S.-Taiwan tariff agreement, Wang urged the government to consider public hearings to help industries understand the situation better.

KMT lawmaker Huang Chien-hao raised concerns about the government's strategy for compensating small and medium-sized enterprises, which are significantly affected. Huang noted that while the government highlights high-tech exports to the United States, the majority of workers are in small and medium-sized enterprises, necessitating a clear governmental response.

Chuang Jui-hsiung, Legislative Yuan caucus director-general of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), expressed optimism that the March 3 report would provide comprehensive insights into tariff-related issues for lawmakers and political parties. Chuang hopes that opposition parties will engage constructively, rather than opposing for opposition's sake, following the signing of what he described as a "satisfactory" U.S.-Taiwan tariff agreement.

Chuang advocated for thorough questioning in the Legislature over public hearings to understand the U.S.-Taiwan tariff agreement's content better. Premier Cho is set to deliver the special report on the results and impacts of the U.S.-Taiwan tariff negotiations on March 3, following a cross-party consensus reached on Jan. 28.