During Li's tenure as economic affairs minister, with the end of US assistance and in the face of collapsing world sugar prices, he secured Japanese and US loans for the construction of the Second Kaohsiung Harbor, the Tsengwen Reservoir, power plants and other critical infrastructure.
李國鼎擔任經濟部長期間，正逢美援停止、國際糖價大跌，他向日、美爭取貸款進行高雄第二港口、曾文水庫、火力發電廠等重要建設。