Taipei - The Taiwan president pledged on Tuesday to buy more U.S. goods, including natural gas and oil, as the autonomous island seeks close ties to the United States while threatening the Trump administration’s 32% tariffs.

By purchasing more U.S. products, which also include weapons and agricultural products, Taiwan will not only establish “more balanced bilateral trade” with the United States, but also improve its energy autonomy and resilience, the island leader Lai Ching-te said.

Lai also said the island is willing to participate in the U.S. reindustrialization and lead the world's artificial intelligence efforts.

Rep. Bruce Westerman, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, told Lai that the United States produces a lot of food and fiber and is "always looking for more friends to share with."

In recent years, trade and economic ties between Taiwan and the United States have become closer. The island faces rising pressure from China, which regards the island as part of Chinese territory and vows to annex it by force if necessary.

Washington is bound by its laws, providing Taipei with a means to defend itself, and both Republicans and Democrats believe that it is the U.S. interest to prevent Beijing from attacking Taiwan.

Many policy makers and analysts believe that arming Taiwan includes not only arms sales, but also closer economic and trade relations, so the island is less susceptible to economic coercion on the mainland.

The United States is now the main destination for foreign investment in Taiwan, including the $165 billion that Taiwanese semiconductor giant TSMC built a factory in Arizona to make premium chips. Lai said the island is also the seventh largest market for U.S. agricultural exports.

However, according to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, the U.S. bought more from Taiwan and had a trade deficit of $116.3 billion in 2024.

President Donald Trump's 32% tariff proposed as part of his comprehensive tariff plan was put on hold, but the benchmark tax was 10%. Earlier this month, Lai downplayed trade tensions between the United States and Taiwan into "frictions between friends."

The American Institute of Taiwan, Taiwan, said the congressional delegation made a larger visit to the Indo-Pacific region on Thursday, which was a stop in Taipei.