Sweeping levies that Trump announced in April were mostly suspended, as Washington engages in negotiations with friends and foes alike.
On Monday, Trump said he would impose 25 per cent tariffs on key US allies Japan and South Korea and 12 others, including Southeast Asian nations Malaysia (25 per cent) and Laos (40 per cent), as of Aug 1.
At a doorstop with journalists after his opening speech, Anwar said Malaysia has sent teams to negotiate with the US and “explain the position that ours is a trading nation and therefore any unilateral tariff will impact negatively on the economy of this country and this region”.
“But we’re still in the midst of negotiations and when I meet Secretary Rubio tomorrow, I’m sure I will certainly raise some of these issues for his consideration … before the final decision by President Trump,” Anwar said.
Export-dependent Vietnam, which like Malaysia and Laos is an ASEAN member, is one of the few countries to have already reached a tentative agreement with Washington that spares it the high level of levies that Trump had threatened.
Malaysia is this year’s rotating chair of ASEAN.
Anwar urged countries of the 10-nation bloc – which is also dealing with several internal spats – to show unity “speak with coherence, act with foresight”.
But ASEAN is grappling with the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, which has seen more than 6,000 people killed and millions of others displaced.
“Regrettably, peace remains elusive as the suffering deepens,” Anwar said.
Meanwhile, a border spat between Thailand and Cambodia continued to simmer.
“Our cohesion must not end at declarations,” Anwar said.
“It must be built into our institutions, our strategies and our economic decisions.”
