{"id":10953,"date":"2025-07-25T08:24:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T08:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itasean.org\/?p=10953"},"modified":"2025-07-25T08:24:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T08:24:06","slug":"effetto-trump-sui-rapporti-usa-asean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itasean.org\/en\/effetto-trump-sui-rapporti-usa-asean\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump\u2019s Impact on U.S.-ASEAN Relations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trump\u2019s threatened tariffs risk seriously damaging several Southeast Asian economies\u2014but tariffs aren\u2019t the only source of friction between ASEAN countries and the United States. The new American administration seems unclear on how to engage with the region, while its unpredictability is prompting ASEAN states to accelerate efforts to diversify their economic and diplomatic partnerships.<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Francesco Mattogno<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

When Senator Tammy Duckworth asked Pete Hegseth to name at least one member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during his confirmation hearing as U.S. Secretary of Defense, he was left speechless. It was January 14, just days after Donald Trump returned to the presidency. Asked how many ASEAN countries there were, Hegseth awkwardly started naming Japan, South Korea, and Australia\u2014none of which are members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In truth, the current U.S. Secretary of Defense not only had no ideas or proposals for how to pursue America\u2019s strategy in what Washington calls the \u201cIndo-Pacific,\u201d he didn\u2019t even know what the Indo-Pacific was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six months later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio flew to Kuala Lumpur on his first official trip to Asia as head of U.S. foreign policy. In Malaysia\u2014at the heart of Southeast Asia\u2014Rubio declared that \u201cthe Indo-Pacific remains a focal point of U.S. foreign policy,\u201d and that Washington wouldn\u2019t be distracted by events elsewhere in the world, because \u201cthe history of the next 50 years will largely be written in this region.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rubio was attending a series of meetings traditionally held alongside the ASEAN foreign ministers' summit. Beyond the nice words about the U.S.-ASEAN partnership\u2014described as \u201cnot only resilient but crucial\u201d\u2014the trip was brief and had one clear goal: to sugarcoat Trump\u2019s threatened tariffs, which are targeting Southeast Asian states more than almost any other part of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tariffs, Negotiations, Deals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the days leading up to the ASEAN Ministerial (July 8\u201311), President Trump updated the import tariffs announced against various Southeast Asian countries, delaying their implementation from July 9 to August 1. Through a series of nearly identical letters, Trump reiterated the threats made on \u201cLiberation Day\u201d (April 2), with some modifications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some tariffs were lowered\u2014for example, Cambodia saw its rate drop from 49% to 36%, while Laos and Myanmar each had theirs adjusted to 40% from 48% and 44% respectively. Notable exceptions included the Philippines (from 17% to 20%) and Malaysia (from 24% to 25%). As with the economically questionable logic of Liberation Day, the rationale behind these updates remains unclear\u2014even to those directly affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is certain is that for months, bilateral negotiations have been ongoing between ASEAN states and the White House to reduce tariff levels and limit economic damage. One example is the preliminary deal reportedly signed with Vietnam: according to early July announcements, Hanoi may have secured a 20% tariff rate\u2014down from 46%. However, some details remain unclear, as reported by Politico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If confirmed, the agreement would see Vietnam fully open its market to U.S. products\u2014removing import tariffs\u2014and commit to purchasing American goods including agricultural products, fuel, Boeing aircraft, and weapons. Most regional countries are pursuing similar arrangements, offering significant concessions to curry favor with the White House. Thailand, amid an internal political crisis, is doing everything it can to reach a deal. Indonesia, after two years with no ambassador in Washington, has just appointed one\u2014and succeeded in cutting its tariffs from 32% to 19%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A particularly noteworthy part of the U.S.-Vietnam deal concerns so-called \u201ctransshipped goods\u201d, which will face a 40% tariff. This term appears to refer to products made in third countries but routed through Vietnam before final export to the U.S.\u2014a clear nod to China, which is often accused of using Southeast Asian nations to circumvent direct U.S. tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This clause has become central to all negotiations between the White House and ASEAN nations\u2014and also raises concerns due to its vagueness. Some worry that it could include goods assembled in ASEAN countries using Chinese components or technology, which would threaten to cripple half the region\u2019s industries. There are also geopolitical consequences: China has already expressed displeasure over the Vietnam clause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non-Alignment and Diversification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Countering Chinese influence in Southeast Asia is a stated goal of the Trump administration\u2014much like past U.S. governments. What has changed is the tone and method. Threatening to hurt regional economies to force concessions risks backfiring for Washington\u2014especially if even its \u201cfriends\u201d aren\u2019t spared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singapore was irritated by the Liberation Day tariffs, while the Philippines was stunned by Trump's decision to raise duties despite being one of Washington\u2019s closest allies since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022. As in Japan and South Korea, the sense in Asia is that Trump\u2019s U.S. is becoming an unreliable partner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his opening speech at the July ASEAN Ministerial, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim denounced tariffs as a \u201cgeopolitical tool.\u201d Malaysia is perhaps the country most openly resisting American pressure. Its Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz stated that if any deal violated national interests, \u201cno agreement will be signed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tensions with Washington go beyond trade. Malaysia and Indonesia\u2014two large Muslim-majority ASEAN countries\u2014have repeatedly criticized U.S. and Western support for Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza. Anti-Western sentiment is growing, and U.S. popularity is declining across Southeast Asia, also due to Trump\u2019s drastic aid cuts, including the closure of USAID, which has severely affected humanitarian programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sticking to their traditional \u201cfriends with all, enemies with none\u201d diplomacy\u2014and driven by U.S. unreliability\u2014ASEAN countries are rapidly diversifying diplomatic and economic ties. Most never cut relations with Russia, even after the invasion of Ukraine. Disputes in the South China Sea haven't blocked deeper cooperation with China either\u2014ASEAN signed a regional free trade agreement with Beijing in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now Trump is threatening an additional 10% tariff on BRICS members, claiming to punish \u201canti-American policies.\u201d This again hits Southeast Asia: Indonesia has formally joined BRICS, while Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are now BRICS partners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ironically, after years of isolation, Trump also sent his standard formal letter\u2014addressed to \u201cHis Excellency\u201d\u2014to General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military junta in Myanmar. This represents the first symbolic recognition of a regime that, since the coup of February 1, 2021, has sparked a civil war with tens of thousands of civilian deaths and millions displaced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to Southeast Asia, members of Trump\u2019s administration may need to study the subject more carefully. The region is economically vital, politically complex, and increasingly wary of erratic partners. Without a coherent and respectful approach, the U.S. risks not only economic backlash but also strategic marginalization in a region where trust\u2014and power\u2014are rapidly shifting.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I dazi minacciati da Trump rischiano di mettere in grave difficolt\u00e0 diverse economie del Sud-Est asiatico, ma non sono l\u2019unico motivo di frizione tra i paesi ASEAN e gli Stati Uniti. La nuova amministrazione americana non sembra avere le idee chiare su come rapportarsi con la regione, mentre la sua imprevedibilit\u00e0 sta spingendo gli StatiContinue reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":10954,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":[],"_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":0,"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":""},"categories":[92,513],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nEffetto Trump sui rapporti USA-ASEAN - Associazione Italia Asean<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.itasean.org\/en\/effetto-trump-sui-rapporti-usa-asean\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Effetto Trump sui rapporti USA-ASEAN - Associazione Italia Asean\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I dazi minacciati da Trump rischiano di mettere in grave difficolt\u00e0 diverse economie del Sud-Est asiatico, ma non sono l\u2019unico motivo di frizione tra i paesi ASEAN e gli Stati Uniti. 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