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ASEAN seeks to approach US tariff talks as one and expand China ties
The 10 ASEAN member states pledge to stay united but flexible as the regional bloc looks for new partners and ways to tackle trade headwinds caused by the United States’ threat of sweeping import tariffs.
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Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono (fourth right) and other representatives of ASEAN member states, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and China pose for a group photo at the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit after the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. (AFP/Jam Sta Rosa)
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SEAN member states aim to negotiate with the United States as a single trade bloc while deepening ties with China, as Washington’s unilateral levies imperil the growth of their trade-dependent economies.
Kicking off the 46th ASEAN Summit at Kuala Lumpur’s Convention Center on Monday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the regional bloc sought a unified meeting with US President Donald Trump to discuss the US import tariffs.
ASEAN has the “fortitude and staying power” to “weather the storms” of economic uncertainty swirling in the region, said Anwar, who holds ASEAN’s rotating chairmanship this year.
“When we encountered this problem with the [US] tariffs, we said, ‘Proceed with bilateral meetings, but retain the ASEAN consensus’,” Anwar continued, noting that all member states tacitly approved of that approach.
Anwar said he had written to Trump to request talks between the US and ASEAN, a region home to 680 million people with a combined GDP of US$3.8 trillion.
Read also: Southeast Asian leaders meet China's Li and Gulf states to bolster ties
A tentative date for the meeting has been set for October, Nikkei Asia reported, with the location yet to be determined. The letter, sent to Trump on Sunday, proposed convening the summit as soon as possible.
