When US President Donald Trump erected a high wall of tariffs—and repeatedly adjusted its height—the stated goal was to protect the US industry. The unintended consequence, however, is that they have pushed some of the US's closest allies closer to China.
A century-old automotive trading relationship between the US and Canada is approaching a breaking point, accelerated by repeated statements from President Trump that have cast doubt on the future of cross-border integration.
As the global automotive market shows signs of recovery in 2026, Excellence Opto has completed a corporate restructuring and opened a new factory in Mexico, positioning the company to launch new products and showcase the impact of its AI-powered automotive electronics transformation. In tandem, Excellence Opto has issued 7,000 secured convertible bonds totaling NT$739 million (approx. US$23.3 million), now listed on the local exchange.
As Taiwan and the US reached a consensus in their tariff negotiations, a long-standing cloud hanging over Taiwan's automotive aftermarket industry began to lift. Securing the most favorable treatment under Section 232—capping tariffs at 15%—was not only a trade victory but a psychological turning point for Taiwan's vehicle-parts supply chain. The agreement has injected new confidence into the sector, allowing manufacturers to shift from a posture of defensive caution to one of proactive expansion.
President Trump's recent decision to link the question of Greenland's sovereignty with punitive tariffs has sent a chill through Europe's auto industry and Asia's manufacturing supply chains. What might once have been dismissed as a trade dispute now looks more like a form of geopolitical brinkmanship; an attempt to bind industrial lifelines to strategic demands.
