Washington is preparing fresh tariffs on semiconductors, and Taiwan says it already has protections in place — good news for Taiwanese chipmakers if the promises hold.

• The Trump administration is drawing up new tariffs on chips, with an exemption for companies that manufacture inside the US.
• Taiwan's cabinet says a deal signed earlier this year already grants its chipmakers most-favored treatment, including duty-free quotas for firms that invest in America.
• A separate US investigation into chip overcapacity has not published its findings yet, leaving the final tariff rate unknown.
• Taipei plans to use government-to-government talks to negotiate each company's tax-free quota and exemption list.
• US and Taiwanese officials gave different numbers for Taiwan's added US investment — Washington said $30 billion, Taipei said $20 billion, driven by chip and AI demand.

Outlook: Taiwan will keep pressing Washington to honor the earlier agreement until the final tariff decision lands.