Malaysian Ministers Head to US for Tariff Talks

Thailand and Malaysia are both preparing for high-level negotiations with the United States to address concerns over recently threatened U.S. tariffs targeting countries with substantial trade surpluses. The Trump administration has imposed or threatened significant duties on imports from nations like Malaysia (24%) and Thailand (36%), though implementation has been paused for 90 days pending talks. Thailand's government has convened meetings across multiple ministries and with private sector representatives to develop negotiation strategies, also coordinating with the central bank to assess economic impacts and potential policy responses. Both Thai and Malaysian delegations plan to visit the U.S. in late April, aiming to soften or mitigate the impact of these tariffs through dialogue rather than retaliatory measures. The discussions are expected to focus on reducing tariffs, addressing trade imbalances, and exploring monetary and investment strategies to manage risk. These efforts reflect wider ASEAN coordination and a shared approach among affected Southeast Asian nations.