Scott Vessent, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, noted that "the development project for oil and natural gas in Alaska could serve as an alternative in the tariff negotiations with South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan." This means that South Korea and others could achieve desired results in tariff negotiations with the U.S. on the condition of investing in the Alaska project.
Secretary Vessent stated during an interview with the U.S. financial media CNBC on the 8th (local time) that "there are talks about a large-scale energy transaction in Alaska that Japan, possibly South Korea, and possibly Taiwan could provide." He added that "Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are financing many pipelines."
Secretary Vessent said, "President Trump will participate directly in the negotiations, and we will watch what our trading partners propose." He continued, "If they come to the negotiating table with a solid proposal, we could secure a good transaction."
Secretary Vessent remarked that "many trading partners who have been warned of tariffs from the U.S. are lining up and waiting while maintaining their composure." He added that he believes the retaliatory tariffs announced by China against the U.S. are "a very large mistake."