Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has held phone calls with four ASEAN leaders to coordinate a collective response to the latest round of US tariff hikes, which have disproportionately affected countries in Southeast Asia.

The tariffs, introduced under the Trump administration’s "reciprocal trade" approach, vary by country. Indonesia faces a 32 percent tariff, while Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia were hit with steeper hikes ranging from 44 to 49 percent. Malaysia and Brunei face 24 percent tariffs, and the Philippines 17 percent. Only Singapore continues to enjoy the baseline U.S. tariff rate of 10 percent.

“President Prabowo exchanged views through phone calls with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Brunei Darussalam's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong,” the Presidential Press Bureau said in a statement.

The conversation focused on seeking a united ASEAN front in the face of escalating trade pressures from Washington.

In a separate statement earlier, Prime Minister Anwar said the talks were aimed at finding a consensus-driven response to the US tariffs.

“As the Chair of ASEAN, Malaysia remains committed to fostering consensus among member states and upholding the principles of fairness and equity in all trade negotiations, including in ASEAN–US dialogue frameworks," Anwar wrote on X.

He added that the upcoming ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting next week would continue deliberations on the issue and seek the best possible solution for all member countries.

A Vital Economic Partnership at Risk
The tariff hikes come at a time when ASEAN–US trade ties have grown significantly. The United States is one of ASEAN's largest trading partners, with total two-way goods trade reaching $520.3 billion in 2023, according to US government data. US exports to ASEAN totaled $125.3 billion, while imports from the region stood at $395 billion.

ASEAN as a bloc ranked as the fourth-largest goods trading partner of the US in 2023, after China, Mexico, and Canada.

Several ASEAN economies -- especially Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia -- have consistently run trade surpluses with the US in recent years, drawing scrutiny from Washington. In 2024, Indonesia’s trade surplus with the U.S. hit $16.84 billion, the largest it had with any trading partner.

Analysts warn that the new tariffs could strain ASEAN–US trade relations, undermine regional supply chains, and shift economic momentum toward other major economies such as China or the EU -- unless a mutually beneficial resolution is found.

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