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Asean’s supply-chain charm wears thin under Trump’s tariff wrath

Once key winners in the China-plus-one shift, South-east Asian economies are now on the back foot

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Goh Ruoxue

Goh Ruoxue

Published Thu, Apr 3, 2025 · 09:52 PM
    • Unlike during Trump's first presidency, South-east Asia is now directly in the firing line for aggressive and high levies, says an analyst.
    • Unlike during Trump's first presidency, South-east Asia is now directly in the firing line for aggressive and high levies, says an analyst. ILLUSTRATION: SIMON ANG, BT

    [SINGAPORE] Export-reliant South-east Asia could lose its lustre as the darling of global supply-chain diversification, with US President Donald Trump announcing harsher-than-expected tariffs on its trading partners.

    Asean member states were blitzed by levies announced on Wednesday (Apr 2), ranging from the baseline 10 per cent tax on all American imports to additional reciprocal duties that bring the final tariff to as high as 49 per cent.

    For comparison purposes, the European Union was slapped with a 20 per cent tax.

    Asean BusinessTrump tariffsDonald TrumpUS tariffsChinaUS-China tradeUS-China relationsSouth-east AsiaTradeEconomic growthAseanVietnamSupply chains

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