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As we approach the six-month mark of the second Trump administration, it’s not just tariffs that are on our minds. How are Southeast Asian governments reacting and adapting to the new realities of American engagement with the region, especially vis-à-vis China?

"The United States cannot and should not organize its economy exactly like China’s. It would be prudent, however, for Washington to learn from the world’s manufacturing colossus." 💯

That means he'll be in Malaysia for a US-ASEAN meeting when the tariff pause is supposed to expire on July 9.

There are signs that Southeast Asian governments are drifting towards China as opposed to the US, as argued by a recent Op-Ed in Foreign Affairs magazine. To delve into this topic, we’ve invited Prof. Joseph Liow, one of the authors, to join us for our next episode.

Vietnam had its tariff rate cut from 46% to 20%. Now to see what kind of rates the rest of Southeast Asia gets. Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are reportedly close to deals, too.

"[Bessent] told Bloomberg Television that about 100 countries are likely to see a reciprocal tariff rate of 10% and predicted a "flurry" of trade deals announced before a July 9 deadline when tariffs could rise sharply."

In a region where governments would prefer not to choose between the US and China, what would a tipping point look like? How would it change the dynamics of the region? Tune in to our next episode to find out.

"Appearing to welcome a Chinese company could risk hurting Mexico's position in tariff talks with the Trump administration. President Claudia Sheinbaum has distanced herself from Chinese businesses, maintaining that the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement is her priority"

So Vietnam's getting hit with a general 30% tariff / 50% tariff on transshipment from China now? And Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are getting an additional 10% to their tariff rates too?

A recap: Tariffs on China: 30% (for now) Tariffs on Vietnam: 20% (also for now, BRICS assoc may add 10%), 40% for transshipping from China Tariffs on UK: 10%

ASEAN countries reel from Trump's fresh tariff threats s.nikkei.com/4lAIkrU

What is the US value proposition for Southeast Asia under Trump 2.0? What could Washington do to reverse this decline in its influence in the region? Tune in to our next episode later today, Jul 9, to find out.

Our newest episode is on how Southeast Asian countries are, consciously or otherwise, drifting towards an alignment with China as opposed to the US. Why? Find out more at the links below.

This is the part that stood out to me. I wonder how Manila would respond to this.

Oof. 3% higher than the rate that was brought up on Liberation Day.

My latest Op-Ed for CNA was written just before the tariff letter to the Philippines came out, but the argument still holds. Tariffs can bring countries to the negotiating table, but these demands come at a cost. Read more below: channelnewsasia.com/commentary/tru…

“The challenges go deeper than any single figure in the administration,” says Christopher Johnstone, a former White House official now at The Asia Group consultancy. “There is a sense in Japan that for the Trump team, nothing is sacred and everything is transactional.”

"Indonesia began CEPA negotiations with Europe in 2016, but talks stalled as the two sides struggled to reach a compromise on trade controls and environmental measures. [Trump's tariffs] were the catalyst that has since accelerated the talks."

"As a result, the 32% levy that the U.S. president last week threatened to impose on goods from [Indonesia] will fall to a 19% rate, while American exports to Indonesia will be free of both tariffs and nontariff barriers, Trump claimed."

"... whether the world will eventually unite to confront Trump will depend in part on where tariff levels settle around the August 1 deadline... a 30 per cent tariff on EU exports would leave the bloc with nothing to lose since transatlantic trade would be “almost impossible”."