US trade policy

US trade deficit widens, capping one of biggest since 1960

It has expanded to US$70.3 billion in December, culminating in US$901.5 billion for the full year

Aside from Singapore, other economies on the watch list are China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland and Thailand.

Singapore, Vietnam remain on US Treasury’s currency watch list; Thailand added

Report classifies city-state as an outlier as it is the only nation on the list running a bilateral trade deficit with America

The new trade pact was inked by US President Donald Trump (left) and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at a bilateral meeting at the 47th Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 26.

Malaysia’s US trade deal: what it means for SMEs, exporters and manufacturers

Pact offers improved access for Malaysian exporters and makes US products more affordable for businesses, consumers

US President Donald Trump meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea in October.

Why Asia should worry about a G1 world as China’s power grows

Chinese leapfrogging is showing up in a host of other sectors, including defence

Trump has embraced AI acceleration as central to American strategic dominance.

The fracturing of Maga and its implications for US policies

How trade, immigration, AI and foreign affairs are dividing Trump’s coalition

When Thailand’s Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun travelled to the US recently, her visit did not include any meetings with US trade officials.
NEWS ANALYSIS

Security tangles raise the stakes for Thailand’s US tariff push

The US temporarily halts trade talks with the kingdom, after Bangkok suspends Thai-Cambodia peace process

"If America is not involved, or chooses not to be involved, that should not stop the rest of the world from coming together and finding ways on our own to guide the direction forward," PM Wong tells Singapore media as he wraps up his trip.

US leadership still ‘vital’, but its absence should not stop others from moving forward: PM Wong

If the US chooses to stay out of certain conversations, the rest of the world can find a way forward and the US can rejoin later, he says

Above: Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai, India. Indian exports to the US dropped 8.6 per cent year on year to US$6.3 billion in October.

Resilient domestic economy gives India space to negotiate US trade deal, sources say

Domestic tax cuts on hundreds of consumer items since September are boosting local demand and helping exporters stay competitive

Beijing’s non-interference principle resonates with South-east Asian governments wary of external pressure on domestic governance; the US struggles with consistency in the region.
THE BOTTOM LINE

Is China winning the competition with the US in South-east Asia?

As Asean navigates great power rivalry, the bloc’s nations may well favour Beijing’s comprehensive approach