Malaysia says coordinating collective ASEAN response to US tariffs

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - Malaysia on Friday said they are coordinating an ASEAN response to the fresh US tariffs.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on X that he held a phone call with leaders of several Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) member countries to discuss and "coordinate a collective response to the issue of reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US."

Ibrahim said that the ASEAN’s economic ministers’ meeting next week will continue "deliberations on this matter and seek the best possible solution for all member countries."

The prime minister also said that Malaysia, as the ASEAN chair, is "committed" to "upholding the principles of fairness and equity in all trade negotiations, including in ASEAN-US dialogue frameworks."

On Wednesday, Trump announced a mix of universal and country-specific tariffs.

ASEAN were subjected to the following tariff rates: 32% tariff for Indonesia, 46% for Vietnam, 48% for Laos, 24% Brunei, 37% for Thailand, 45% for Myanmar, 17% for the Philippines, 49% for Cambodia, 10% for Singapore and 24% for Malaysia.

Malaysia took the ASEAN rotating chairmanship in 2025.