15 h. ago Malaysia warns bilateral talks only avenue for Asean to negotiate US tariffs

Southeast Asia’s plan of presenting a united front on US tariffs appears to have fallen apart, after the region’s diplomatic bloc admitted that its members will have to pursue their own talks with Washington to bring down punishing levies that threaten to sink demand for their vital exports. All but two members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) were served with letters from US President Donald Trump earlier this week, announcing tariffs of between 20 and 40 per cent that will...

Events

16 h. ago Trump’s new tariffs, cannon barrel sparks Hong Kong bomb scare: 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Apparently impatient Trump slaps 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea US President Donald Trump, apparently impatient with the slow progress of negotiations, slapped 25 per cent unilateral tariffs on Japan and South Korea and equal or...

Politics

40 h. ago Rubio assures Malaysia has more time to negotiate US tariffs, Anwar says

Malaysia will have “about a month” to negotiate a better tariff deal with the United States, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said, as the Southeast Asian nation scrambles to bring down punishing levies that threaten to cut growth and ruin businesses reliant on American demand. US President Donald Trump earlier this week revealed he had sent letters to 14 nations announcing tariffs of between 25 and 40 per cent that would take effect from August 1, much of it focused on members of the...

Events

3 d. ago East Asia faces fresh US tariffs, China rare earth curbs: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Apparently impatient Trump slaps 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea US President Donald Trump, apparently impatient with the slow progress of negotiations, on Monday slapped 25 per cent unilateral tariffs on Japan and South Korea and equal or higher import taxes on several other nations ahead of a self-imposed Wednesday deadline. 2. Rare earth dominance: why...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘Treated like servants’: Taiwan on edge as US tariff deadline passes

Anxiety is running high in Taiwan as the island nervously awaits the outcome of its tariff negotiations with the United States, amid growing concern it could be hit with duties of 25 per cent or higher – well above the 10 per cent rate Taipei had hoped for. The worry stems from US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff regime, announced in April, which gave trade partners 90 days to negotiate new terms or face tariffs mirroring those imposed on US exports. With the grace period now over,...

Events

3 d. ago More uncertainty ahead for Asia as Trump shifts goalposts on tariffs again

Asia could face a prolonged period of trade uncertainty after US President Donald Trump extended the deadline for imposing higher import tariffs to August 1. Trump told trade partners on Monday that the new deadline was final, though he might grant further extensions if countries submitted acceptable proposals. He also confirmed plans to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Japan and South Korea in letters posted on his social media platform, warning: “If for any reason you decide to...

Politics

3 d. ago Malaysia seeks urgent trade talks with US after 25% tariff blow

Malaysia will press ahead with talks towards a “comprehensive” trade agreement with the United States, its trade ministry has said, as Kuala Lumpur races to soften the blow of a newly imposed 25 per cent tariff on its exports unveiled by US President Donald Trump. On Monday, Trump revealed he had sent letters to leaders of 14 countries announcing tariffs ranging from 25 to 40 per cent, in an apparent gambit to accelerate trade negotiations. The new 25 per cent tariff on Malaysian goods is one...

Politics

3 d. ago Apparently impatient Trump slaps 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea

US President Donald Trump, apparently impatient with the slow progress of negotiations, on Monday slapped 25 per cent unilateral tariffs on Japan and South Korea and equal or higher import taxes on several other nations ahead of a self-imposed Wednesday deadline. Analysts said the move shows that the mercurial American leader is using threats to jump-start negotiations. Trump sent two-page letters to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung saying the new...

Politics

6 d. ago China, EU near EV tariff deal, state media says, refutes ‘trade diversion’ fears

China and the European Union have largely finalised the “technical” part of negotiations towards resolving their electric vehicle (EV) tariff dispute, with the deal now hinging on “political will” from the European side, according to Chinese state-affiliated media. Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account linked to state broadcaster CCTV, reported on Friday night that the “technical negotiations” were essentially complete, with only the “final step” remaining. “The key now depends on whether the...

Economics

1 week ago Why China sees US trade deals with partners as a threat – and how it could react

Beijing has renewed its warning to other countries not to strike deals with the United States on terms that come at China’s expense – ahead of Washington’s looming deadline to conclude tariff negotiations with most of its trade partners. Chinese officials are concerned that nations from Europe to Southeast Asia may enter into trade agreements with the US that divert supply chains, reduce bilateral trade with China or compel governments to exit Beijing-led projects, analysts said on Monday. “The...

Events

3 w. ago Caught in the chip war, Malaysia must rethink its US–China balancing act

Malaysia has landed in another tight spot – this time over claims Chinese engineers may have accessed high-end Nvidia chips on its soil to train artificial intelligence models, potentially breaching US export controls. The timing could hardly be worse. Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz and Second Finance Minister Amir Hamzah Azizan were in Washington this week to negotiate down a steep 24 per cent “reciprocal tariff” imposed by US President Donald Trump in April. Now, their efforts risk being...

Events

3 w. ago Malaysia ‘stands firm’ on US chip curbs after alleged breach by Chinese company

Trade authorities in Malaysia have launched an investigation into claims that Chinese engineers bypassed US chip curbs by renting data centres packed with high-end Nvidia chips to train their artificial intelligence (AI) model in the country. The allegation, made in a report by The Wall Street Journal last Thursday, poses a potential stumbling block to Malaysia’s tariff negotiations with the US, which has curbed China’s access to high-end chips, including through third nations. Malaysia’s trade...

Politics