Voices have started rising against US President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim directly attacked the US on Wednesday and said that it is not right to make tariffs a weapon of global trade. Southeast Asian foreign ministers said at their annual meeting amid the growing threat of US trade tariffs that would upset the global trade balance.
According to Anwar, the threat of US tariffs has shaken the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 10 countries are part of this organization, out of which six countries are among the 14 countries on which US export duty will come into effect from August 1 and their trade will be directly affected. He said that the world is now witnessing an era where powerful countries are hell-bent on destabilizing the whole world. Things that were once used for development are now being used to pressurize, isolate and control.
Without naming the US, he urged ASEAN to work together to deal with trade-related threats. He said that our solidarity should not be limited to mere declarations. Anwar called on member states to increase trade within ASEAN, invest in regional integration and reduce strategic dependence on external powers, and warned of the long-term consequences of the tariff war if it continues for too long.
US President Donald Trump first announced the tariffs in April, but postponed them for 90 days to reach an agreement. On Tuesday, he announced new tariffs on 14 countries at the rate of 25 to 40 percent, which will come into effect from August 1. Now if a new agreement is not reached with any country, then this tariff will be implemented in any case. Trump also threatened that if any country retaliates, then he will increase the duty further.