BANGKOK, April 18 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed that Asean rejects any form of unilaterally imposed tariffs, stating that such measures contradict the spirit of multilateralism.
Anwar, who is on a two-day working visit to Thailand, said he had the opportunity to discuss the new tariffs imposed by United States (US) President Donald Trump with his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
He said the meetings of Asean Trade Ministers and Finance Ministers were partly aimed at preparing for the ongoing negotiations related to the unilateral tariffs imposed by the US.
"We have built an Asean consensus. Asean supports free trade and multilateralism. We take the position that we do not agree with any unilateral imposition of tariffs, as it runs contrary to the principles of multilateral arrangements," Anwar said during a press conference at the conclusion of his working visit to Thailand today.
He emphasised that this stance reflects the collective consensus of Asean regarding the US-imposed tariffs.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the alignment of views among Asean and key regional partners, including Japan and New Zealand.
Anwar is pleased that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and Asean leaders collectively agree on utilising multilateral mechanisms and engaging in dialogue with the US.
It was reported that both Asean and Malaysia have made it clear they will not adopt retaliatory measures in response to the tariffs.
On April 3, the Trump administration implemented a minimum 10 per cent tariff on imports from all countries under its Reciprocal Trade and Tariffs Policy.
Asean's Indochina member states were the most affected by the tariffs, with Cambodia facing combined baseline and retaliatory duties totalling 49 per cent, followed by Laos (48 per cent), Vietnam (46 per cent), and Myanmar (44 per cent).
Thailand is subject to tariffs of 36 per cent, Indonesia 32 per cent, Brunei and Malaysia 24 per cent each, and the Philippines 17 per cent, while Singapore faced a baseline tariff of 10 per cent.
The reciprocal tariffs are currently on a 90-day suspension, with the exception of those applied to China.
— Bernama
