	taiwan announces new round of import tariff cuts taiwan announced plans for another round of import tariff cuts on foreign goods shortly before  talks with washington which officials described as a move to help balance  with the united states wang der hwa deputy director of the finance ministry s customs administration department told reporters the list of products included items asked by washington the move is part of our government efforts to encourage imports from our trading partners particularly from the united states he said he said the ministry sent a proposal today to the cabinet that the tariffs on such products as cosmetics bicycles apples radios garments soybeans and television sets be cut by between five and pct the cabinet was expected to give its approval next thursday and the new tariff cuts would be implemented possibly starting on april he added taiwan introduced a sweeping tariff cut on some foreign products last january aimed at helping reduce its growing  surplus with the united states the island s largest trading partner washington however was not satisfied with the cuts and pressed for more reductions as a way of cutting its huge  deficit with taipei washington s deficit with taipei rose to a record billion u s dlrs last year from billion in it widened to billion in the first quarter of from billion a year earlier taiwan s official figures show today s announcement came before a departure later today of a member taiwan delegation for washington for a series of  talks with u s officials the delegation s leader vincent siew told reporters last night he was leaving with a heavy heart meaning that he would face tough talks in washington because of rising protectionist sentiments in the u s congress taiwan s  surplus with washington was the third largest after japan and canada siew said the talks starting on april would cover u s calls for taiwan to open its market to american products purchases of major u s machinery and power plant equipment import tariff cuts and protection of intellectual property i am afraid this time we have to give more than take from our talks with the u s he said without elaborating reuter 
