TAIPEI, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Taiwan's government will soon

look at whether it needs to help its domestic industry over

threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to put tariffs on

semiconductors, Premier Cho Jung-tai said on Wednesday.

Home to the world's largest contract chipmaker, Taiwan

Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. ( TSM ) , the island is

a key link in the global technology supply chain for companies

such as Apple ( AAPL ) and Nvidia ( NVDA ).

Trump said on Monday he plans to impose tariffs on imported

chips, pharmaceuticals and steel to get the producers to make

them in the United States.

Responding to a question on Trump's remarks, Cho said the

economy ministry and other departments have been paying close

attention to the "developments of the past few days".

"In a day or two we will urgently look at whether we need to

make more cooperative plans and future assistance programmes for

the industrial sector," he added. "I would like to reassure our

compatriots that Taiwan's position in the world's industrial

chain is not to be ignored, and that we will continue to

maintain such an advantage."

Taiwan has to continue to strive for more cooperation

externally and to maintain its leadership in the industrial and

technological sectors, Cho added.

In 2020, under the first Trump administration, TSMC

announced that it would build a $12 billion factory in Arizona

in a win for efforts by the U.S. government to wrestle global

tech supply chains back from China. It later boosted those plans

with the total investment now standing at $65 billion.

TSMC has declined to comment on Trump's latest tariff

remarks.

This month, Taiwan Economy Minister Kuo Jyh-huei said he

only expected a small impact from any tariffs imposed by Trump

on semiconductor exports given their technological superiority.

In another potential challenge for Taiwan, Trump last week

directed federal agencies to investigate persistent U.S. trade

deficits and unfair trade practices and alleged currency

manipulation by other countries.

Taiwan's trade surplus with the United States surged 83%

last year compared with 2023, with exports to the U.S. hitting a

record $111.4 billion driven by demand for high-tech products

such as semiconductors.