Taiwan eyes more US LNG: Taiwan’s state-backed bodies are planning to triple the US’ share of its LNG imports to reach 30% to help narrow the trade deficit, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing Taiwan’s Economic Affairs Minister Kuo Jyh-Huei. The Asian nation is also looking to buy USD 6 bn worth of US goods over the next decade.

Peace over retaliation: Taiwan is seeking more investments in the US and does not intend to impose retaliatory tariffs, Reuters reported last week here and here. President Lai Ching-te has announced Taiwan’s aim to reach “zero tariffs” with the US despite the latter’s 32%tariff on Taiwan. “We hope to take advantage of the huge US market, their excellent technology capital and talent, to form a Taiwan-US coalition, a joint fleet approach,” Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung told the newswire.

ICYMI: Trump has paused most of his announced tariffs on most countries but hiked China’s tariff to 125%, up from 104%, after Beijing pushed ahead with a retaliatory tariff hike to 84% on US goods.

Vietnam Airlines has inked an MoU with Citibank for a USD 560 mn loan to partially fund the airline’s likely acquisition of Boeing-made jets, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. The Vietnamese flag carrier will receive strategic consulting from Citibank, and plans to meet with the US Export-Import Bank to secure coverage for its loan. The airline is reportedly planning for a major Boeing order in a bid to forge stronger links to US financial and aviation sectors to get a leg-up in tariff negotiations with the US, following Trump’s announcement of 46% levies on imports from the Southeast Asian country — now on pause for 90 days.

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