Taipei: The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has established a task force aimed at assisting Taiwan's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in managing exchange rate risks due to recent fluctuations in the value of the Taiwan dollar against the U.S. dollar, a senior official announced Wednesday. According to Focus Taiwan, Deputy Economics Minister Ho Chin-tsang revealed at a press conference that Taiwan has a significant number of SMEs-46,000 of them-primarily focused on exports. These SMEs, especially those in the manufacturing sector, are more vulnerable to exchange rate volatility as 80 percent quote their prices in U.S. dollars. The MOEA identified nine industries most affected by these fluctuations: metal products, machine tools, machinery, textiles, food products, rubber and plastics, car components, electronic components, and information and communications technologies. The ministry's Small and Medium Enterprise and Startup Administration (SMESA) will act as an advisory body for the multi-age ncy task force. The task force is tasked with coordinating efforts to stay informed on exchange rate changes, guiding industry upgrades, and supporting overseas marketing strategies, Ho explained. The task force will also focus on raising awareness about hedging tools such as forex options, natural hedges, and forward exchange transactions. Ho emphasized the importance of SMEs planning hedging strategies, especially as market fluctuations might persist with the anticipated implementation of U.S. "reciprocal tariffs." SMESA Director General GJ Lee announced that state-owned banks will introduce service sections on their websites to highlight these hedging products, offering them at reduced costs and simplifying the purchasing processes for SMEs. Lee also mentioned that the MOEA will work closely with regulatory bodies like the Financial Supervisory Commission to streamline procedures. Additionally, the ministry is rolling out financial support measures for SMEs, including project diversification financing, a preferential credit guarantee program for export finance, and stimulus project finance to alleviate funding pressures.