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As of today (Saturday), President Donald Trump has started implementing a blanket 10% tariff on US trade partners for the entire country. While some duties replacing, rather than adding to, the 10% figure are offsetting certain nations’ dues which take effect on April 9.
Let’s look into how the area is reacting to this.
Australia
Reciprocal Tariff: 10%
Reaction: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed that the move was a “poor decision” in reference to the US tariff and stated that he would not impose counter levies. The country will, however, not engage in the World Trade Organization at this point.
Bangladesh
Reciprocal Tariff: 37%
Reaction: The government expressed is intent to hold meetings with the Trump’s office over the prospect of reducing the negative effects of the duties, especially in light of the $40 billion garment export market.
Brunei
Reciprocal Tariff: 24%
Response: The Finance Ministry confirmed that they are working withtheir American counterparts for guidance about the new levies
Cambodia
Reciprocal Tariff: 49%
Response: The government response states there is a reduction on 19 categories of American goods to 5% instead of 35% and did not state the products. They did say they are seeking discussions with the US and reached out to Trump requesting a postponement on the tariffs set to begin on April 9.
China
Reciprocal Tariff: 34%
Response: Starting April 10, China retaliated by imposing tariffs of 34% on all US goods. Re went on to announce other steps such as immediately banning exports of seven different rare earth elements; stopping the importation of chicken products from two US companies and border trade controls to 16 American firms.
Hong Kong
Reciprocal Tariff: Hong Kong shares 34% tariff with China since its special trading privileges were revoked by Trump in 2020.
Response: Chun Paul Chan stated the city will not impose any countermeasures towards the US and Radio Television Hong Kong reported “freedoms are being protected” Chan said Hong Kong needs to remain open so the city.
Fiji
Reciprocal Tariff: 32%
Response: The Fijian government indicated that they were working with the US through diplomatic and commercial relations to seek understanding on the actions taken and how to minimize their effects. It is specifically challenging how the US sets tariffs on Fiji using methods such as currency depreciation and trade barriers without officially declaring them.
India
Reciprocal Tariff: 26%
Response: An Indian government official indicated that India is not likely to respond immediately; rather, the focus is on pursuing a bilateral trade agreement with the US to reduce tariffs.
Indonesia
Reciprocal Tariff: 32%
Response: A team is going to Washington to negotiate the tariffs. President Prabowo Subianto instructed his cabinet to remove limitations on the steps that can be taken, which include relaxing non-tariff trade barriers. The government stated that Indonesia is also negotiating with Malaysia, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, about a coordinated approach to the tariffs.
Japan
Reciprocal Tariff: 24%
Response: This week, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba plans to call Trump regarding the tariffs. On a television program, he remarked, “It’s not in Japan’s interests to retaliate by imposing tariffs of our own.” Then he added, “There are many options.”
Kazakhstan
Reciprocal Tariff: 27%
Response: The trade ministry said that “the government is engaging with the US to explore options that could prevent the application of additional tariffs.”
Malaysia
Reciprocal Tariff: 24%
Response: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said, “Malaysia is not considering retaliatory tariffs.” Instead, Malaysia's response will be “calm, firm, guided by national interests,” and efforts were already underway to engage the US.
As chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he noted thatthat Malaysia would spearhead coordination of a regional response to US tariffs.
Myanmar
Reciprocal Tariff: 44%
Response: Deputy Commerce Minister Min Min said the country is mulling over some steps to deal with the new tariffs, but provided no specifics. He noted that officials are concentrating on relief and reconstruction following last month’s massive earthquake.
New Zealand
Reciprocal Tariff: 10%
Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon indicated that New Zealand will not impose reciprocal tariffs on the US because of inflation concerns, among other reasons.
Pakistan
Reciprocal Tariff: 29%
Response: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb remarked that he is working on plans to dispatch a high-powered delegation to Washington for discussions.
Philippines
Reciprocal Tariff: 17%
Response: There has not been a mention of a response in revenge. Secretary Cristina Roque said that there are discussions where she is trying to engage her US counterpart to work on the relationship, including a push for a free trade agreement.
Singapore
Reciprocal Tariff: 10%
Response: According to its leaders, the country will not retaliate, even if able to do so under a free trade agreement, but will seek dialogue instead.
South Korea
Reciprocal Tariff: 25%
Response: The interim leader of South Korea Han Duck-soo stated that the government intends to send its trade minister for negotiations to the US as soon as possible.
Sri Lanka
Reciprocal Tariff: 44%
Response: Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka, noted a new reciprocal tariff system was developed with an advisory board, which included the treasury secretary and the governor of the central bank, to look at the impacts of the new system and provide recommendations.
Taiwan
Reciprocal Tariff: 32 Per Cent
Response: According to President Lai Ching-te, Taiwan has no plans to impose retaliatory tariffs, but will pursue improving reciprocal tariffs through dialogues with the US. Taiwan and the US can plunge into talks from “zero tariffs", and the presidential office mentioned that sectors like electronics, petrochemicals, and natural gas will take up efforts to augment investments in the US.
The island previously labeled the tariffs as unreasonable and unfounded and announced that they would provide 88 billion NT dollars (2.7 billion dollars) in aid to assist local companies in coping with the impacts of the new tariffs.
Thailand
Reciprocal Tariff: 36 Per Cent
Response: The government has reported that Deputy Prime Minister Pichai Chunhavajira will travel to the US within the coming days. Their proposals to US officials will also include increasing imports of US energy and aviation and agricultural products.
Vietnam
Reciprocal Tariff: 46 Per Cent
Response: It is known that Vietnam has offered to remove all tariffs on US imports. The General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam has proposed that the US refrain from implementing any further tariffs on Vietnamese goods and requested the delay of the implementation of tariffs at least 45 days after April 9.
Other
Below is the list of the remaining countries and territories in the Asia Pacific that are subjected to US tariffs. They all pay 10 percent unless noted otherwise. Most have yet to issue an official statement regarding the tariffs.
Afghanistan
Azerbaijan
Bhutan
Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an Australian external territory with a population of 600 people
Cook Islands
French Polynesia
Heard and McDonald Islands, an uninhabited Australian external territory
Kiribati
Kyrgyzstan
Laos at 48%
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Mongolia
Nauru at 30%
Nepal
Norfolk Island at 29%
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tajikistan
Timor-Leste
Tokelau, a dependent territory of New Zealand
Tonga
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu at 22%
Of these nations, only Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Maldives were not subjected to the most recent tariffs placed by the US.
North Korea is among a handful of nations globally that have been exempted from the latest tariffs.
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