Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-07-10 Origin: Site
On July 9th, the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and its series of meetings opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Under the shadow of the US tariff war, all parties involved unanimously expressed concerns about unilateral actions related to tariffs. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called on the foreign and economic ministers of ASEAN countries to work together to address the increasingly severe external pressure in his opening speech.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and series of meetings will last until the 11th, hosted by Malaysia, the rotating chair of ASEAN, with the theme of "Inclusiveness and Sustainability". During the meeting, 24 ministerial level meetings will be held, including bilateral discussions with ASEAN's external dialogue partners, including China, the United States, Japan, and other countries.
At the time of the meeting, US President Trump postponed the implementation date of "equivalent tariffs" to August 1st, stating that different tariff rates will be imposed on countries such as Japan and South Korea from then on. The major ASEAN countries - Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar - are also on the list of tariffs imposed by the US government.
In response to this news, Dave Laksono, Vice Chairman of the First Committee of the Indonesian House of Representatives, stated that the 32% import tariff imposed by the United States on Indonesia will have a serious impact on Indonesia's industry, banking industry, and overall economy, and the situation is very worrying.
The Malaysian Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry stated in a statement that the "unilateral" tariffs imposed by the United States may disrupt business, supply chains and investment flows that benefit both countries.
The Bangkok Post reported that the Thai Federation of Trade and Industrial Employers has stated that the United States plans to impose a 36% import tariff on Thai products, which may put pressure on the manufacturing industry and workers may be the first to bear the brunt.
At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the 9th, Anwar pointed out that trade barriers such as tariffs are being used as tools for geopolitical competition. He urged ASEAN to unite to address the threat. According to the Associated Press, Anwar called on member countries to increase intra ASEAN trade, invest in regional integration, and reduce strategic dependence on external powers.
ASEAN must firmly reject the idea of dividing the world into spheres of influence, and cannot accept the practice of external forces making decisions for the region, "Anwar said." ASEAN is a region that consciously, systematically, and purposefully plans its own development path and will not be absent from international affairs. "He also emphasized that" even if other countries retreat, ASEAN must choose to defend the rules
Ge Hongliang, Vice Dean of the ASEAN College at Guangxi University for Nationalities, stated in an interview with Global Times on the 9th that, as Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar stated, in the era of globalization, the international trade and investment order centered around the World Trade Organization has effectively promoted world growth and the development of various countries. But now, the United States, with its unilateral trade protection and "America First" hegemonic posture, has undermined the rules of the past and the foundation on which globalization relies for development.
The attitude of ASEAN is relatively clear: first, it opposes the United States' approach of undermining existing trade rules and global fair and reciprocal trade and investment rules; second, it hopes to respond to trade threats with unity; third, it opposes some countries sacrificing regional interests in bilateral negotiations. "Ge Hongliang said.
The Jakarta Post cited a draft joint communiqu é, stating that ASEAN foreign ministers unanimously expressed concerns about the escalating global trade tensions and increasing uncertainty in the international economic landscape, particularly unilateral actions related to tariffs. The ministers did not directly name the United States, but stated that tariffs "have the opposite effect, could exacerbate global economic fragmentation, and pose complex challenges to ASEAN's economic stability and growth.
According to the official website of the US State Department, US Secretary of State Rubio departed for Kuala Lumpur on July 8th for a 5-day trip to Asia. This is his first visit to Asia since taking office. Rubio will attend the ASEAN US Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting. He also plans to meet with Malaysian leaders and senior government officials.
Reuters reported that the US intends to use this visit to "comfort" its allies and partners who are uneasy about US tariff policies, and strengthen the relationship between the US and ASEAN. ATV News also reported that a senior US State Department official who declined to be named said that Rubio may tell world leaders that the US wants to "rebalance" its trade relations.
