Asean to send officials to US to discuss tariffs, says Malaysia PM Anwar
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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia will lead a regional response by South-east Asia toward US tariffs.
PHOTO: AFP
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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his country and Asean partners will dispatch officials to Washington D.C. for talks following US President Donald Trump’s rollout of global tariffs.
“There may be limited room to revisit the underlying intent, but there is still scope for adjusting the policy’s implementation,” Datuk Seri Anwar said in his opening speech at the Asean Investment Conference 2025 in Kuala Lumpur on April 8.
“The global trading system is under intense strain, more so than at any point in recent memory.”
Mr Anwar said over the weekend that Malaysia will lead efforts to coordinate a regional response by South-east Asia toward US tariffs. Malaysia is the current chair of the Asean group of 10 South-east Asian countries, which are among the hardest hit by the levies.
South-east Asian countries must pursue more regional economic integration and boost trade, Mr Anwar said.
“We are witnessing the fraying of the global order,” Mr Anwar said.
“Therefore, Asean must rely more on itself.”
On April 7, discussions on tariffs were held between a representative from the United States Department of the Treasury (UST) and senior officials of Asean member states.
The UST was represented by its Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia Robert Kaproth. The discussions took place at the US Treasury-Asean Finance and Central Bank Deputies’ Meeting (AFCDM).
“The UST shared its policy outlook and also discussed the effects of the new tariffs announcement to Asean,” said Malaysia’s Finance Ministry in a post on X.
The ministry said the meeting provided Asean finance and central bank deputies an avenue to directly engage with the UST in a closed-door setting.
Although not part of the main agenda, the US tariffs appeared to be among the key topic of discussion on the first day of the 12th Asean Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting, which began on April 7, following Mr Trump’s move to impose reciprocal tariffs
Mr Trump announced retaliatory tariffs on April 3.
In an immediate reaction, Malaysia said it would not be considering retaliatory tariffs to the US following the recent 10 per cent tariff increase and reciprocal tariff on Malaysian exports to the country.
The 24 per cent tariff on goods from Malaysia entering the US will begin on April 9 as Mr Trump announced new import duties against its trading partners.
This is part of a broad trade policy targeting countries which have large trade deficits with the US. However, it does not cover all Malaysian goods exported to the US. BLOOMBERG, THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
