Asean foreign, economic ministers must unite in facing tariff threat, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: Asean foreign ministers and economic ministers must work closely together in facing new challenges brought about in a changing international geopolitical and economic landscape in the world, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said that Asean is now being confronted with a new reality, where trade barriers such as tariffs are used as an instrument for geopolitical rivalry.

“I, therefore, urge even closer alignment between Asean’s foreign and economic policy tracks.

“Our foreign and economic ministers must move in concert in facing challenges,” said Anwar during his opening remarks around the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers (AMM) meeting here on Wednesday (July 9).

Anwar also said trade barriers are now being used to pressure and isolate certain countries.

“Across the world, tools once used to generate growth are now wielded to pressure, isolate and contain.

“Tariffs, exports, restrictions and investment barriers have now become the sharpened instruments of geopolitical rivalry,” said Anwar.

Anwar touched down in Kuala Lumpur at 3am today after returning from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil following a week-long tour that covered Italy and France.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to attend the AMM after arriving in KL on Thursday (July 10) morning.

Elaborating further, Anwar said Asean must confront this new reality with clarity and conviction. 

“We must read the landscape clinically, speak with coherence, and act with foresight. 

“Our cohesion must not end at declarations. It must be built into our institutions, our strategies and our economic decisions. 

Anwar also said as Asean navigates external pressures, it has to strengthen its foundations by trading and investing more in one another. 

“We must also reject the idea that the world can be carved into spheres of influence, and that decisions about our region can be made elsewhere. 

“We are a region that charts its own course - deliberately, coherently and with purpose.

“Asean will not be spoken for in absentia,” said Anwar

On July 9, US President Donald Trump announced a slew of tariffs, where Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Tunisia and Kazakhstan were slapped with a 25% rate. 

Other countries hit by US tariffs include South Africa (30%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (30%), Indonesia (32%), Serbia (35%), Bangladesh (35%), Cambodia (36%) and Thailand (36%) and 40% on Laos and Myanmar, respectively.