TAIPEI, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Taiwan has sent officials to

Washington to discuss possible U.S. tariffs by President Donald

Trump, and has made preparations should they be imposed, Economy

Minister Kuo Jyh-huei said on Saturday.

Tech firms in Taiwan, home to the world's largest contract

chipmaker TSMC, face the possibility Trump will follow

through on threats to put tariffs on imported chips after he

accusing Taiwan during last year's campaign of having stolen

American semiconductor business.

Trump said on Friday he plans to announce reciprocal tariffs

on many economies by Monday or Tuesday, a major escalation of

his offensive to reshape global trade relationships in ways he

considers to be in America's favour.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Kuo said the ministry has

made preparations for any U.S. tariffs, declining to give

details.

Asked about chip tariffs, Kuo said he had dispatched a

deputy minister and a deputy section chief to Washington. He did

not identify them or offer further details.

They will "as much as possible give some rather good

explanations to Trump's people" about Taiwan's chip industry, he

added, without elaborating. "Taiwan is the United States' best

partner."

Taiwan has repeatedly said its chip sector and U.S.

companies have "win-win" cooperation.

But Taiwan runs a large trade surplus with the United

States, which surged 83% last year, with the island's exports to

the U.S. hitting a record $111.4 billion, driven by demand for

high-tech products such as semiconductors.

Kuo suggested Taiwan could follow Japan's example and import

more U.S. energy.

"In reference to Japan, he has great determination when it

comes to energy," he said, referring to Trump. "We hope we can

satisfy U.S. demands when it comes to this."

Japan will soon begin importing a record amount of U.S.

liquefied natural gas, Trump said on Friday after talks with

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Australia and Qatar are currently Taiwan's main suppliers of

LNG.