US’ Asian allies, rivals criticize new tariffs, vow to respond

United States President Donald Trump (File Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)

By Anadolu, Philippine News Agency

KARACHI, Pakistan – The US’ Asian trading partners reacted sharply Thursday to US President Donald Trump’s announcement of broad-based import tariffs, with the Australian prime minister calling the move “unwarranted.”

However, Washington’s traditional allies left room for negotiations to navigate the new challenges in their bilateral ties.

In announcing a mix of universal and country-specific tariffs, Trump declared “Liberation Day” for the US, which he claims for decades has been “looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike.”

The announcement presents 34 percent reciprocal tariffs for China, 46 percent for Vietnam, 32 percent for Taiwan, 24 percent for Japan, 26 percent for India, 29 percent for Pakistan, 36 percent for Thailand, 32 percent for Indonesia, 24 percent for Malaysia, 49 percent for Cambodia, 17 percent for Philippines and 10 percent for Australia.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called the US reciprocal tariffs “unfortunate” and “regrettable.”

Vowing to protect Japanese industries and jobs, Ishiba responded by saying they “won’t hesitate to urge Trump to rethink tariffs if needed.”

Expressing “extreme regret” and “serious concern,” Trade Minister Yoji Muto conveyed Japan’s concerns to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said Japan was “seriously concerned about whether the tariff measure is consistent with World Trade Organization rules,” according to Tokyo-based Kyodo News.

‘Not the act of a friend,’ says Australia

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the new US tariffs as “unwarranted” and “not the act of a friend.”

Albanese said Trump’s announcement of a 10 percent tariff on all imports from Australia did not come as a “surprise” to the government but called them illogical, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Reiterating that Canberra will not impose reciprocal tariffs on Washington, he said Australia would use “dispute resolution mechanisms” in the free trade agreement between the nations.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported Wednesday that Albanese’s government was preparing to take the US to the World Trade Organization for breaching the free trade agreement.

South Korea to go ‘all-out’ against tariffs

South Korea’s acting president instructed the government to go “all-out” to respond to the US announcement of 25 percent on imports from his country.

Han Duck-soo gave the instruction during an “emergency meeting” in Seoul of an economic and security strategy task force, which included the finance and industry ministers and other senior officials, shortly after Trump announced tariff rates for all US trading partners, including South Korea, Yonhap News reported.

“As the situation is very grave with the approach of the reality of a global tariff war, the government must pour out all of its capabilities at its disposal to overcome this trade crisis,” Han was quoted as saying by the news agency.

He also instructed the government to immediately formulate emergency support measures for local companies and sectors hit by the tariffs,

China firmly opposed the new US tariffs

A Commerce Ministry spokesman said Thursday that Beijing will “resolutely” adopt countermeasures to safeguard its rights and interests, state-run Xinhua News reported.

The spokesman urged Washington to “immediately” cancel the new tariffs.

In a commentary, Xinhua News said that by turning trade into an over simplistic tit-for-tat game, Washington is dismantling a global trade system based on efficiency, specialization, and mutual benefit, while harming both the US economy and global economies.

“Washington’s tariff obsession is not only failing to revive US industries, but also setting them back. Even more troubling for American policymakers, this approach risks leaving the United States sidelined as the global economy moves forward without it,” it added.

India ‘examining indications’

India said it was “carefully examining the implications” of the 26 percent tariffs announced by Trump.

The Commerce Department “is engaged with all stakeholders, including Indian industry and exporters, taking feedback of their assessment of the tariffs and assessing the situation,” read a statement from the ministry.

“The Department is also studying the opportunities that may arise due to this new development in the US trade policy.”

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said Bangkok has “prepared measures, including negotiations and import tax restructuring, to deal” with the Trump administration’s 36 percent reciprocal tariffs on exports from the Southeast Asian nation to the US market.

Trump imposed a 36 percent reciprocal tariff on goods imported from Thailand.

Bangladesh said it was reviewing Trump’s new 37 percent tariffs on its products exported to the US.

Faced with a levy of 32 percent, Taiwan called Trump’s decision “highly unreasonable” and said it deeply regretted it, adding that it planned “serious negotiations” with Washington.