Malaysia hopes for win-win deal as US tariff pause nears expiry
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is pushing for a mutually beneficial outcome in ongoing tariff talks with the United States, ahead of a looming July 8 deadline that could impact local exporters if a temporary exemption lapses.
Investment, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong said the government is hopeful that discussions will result in a collaborative arrangement that protects Malaysia's trade interests and supports continued access to the US market.
"We will wait for the outcome of the discussions," Liew told reporters after a panel session at the Sasana Symposium 2025 here today.
"Broadly, we hope that there will be a collaborative effort in shaping any new arrangement. But we will wait for the negotiation results before commenting further," he said.
His remarks come as Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz leads a high-level trade mission to Washington to meet US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Tengku Zafrul said the delegation's primary aim is to secure improved market access for Malaysian goods and address persistent supply chain bottlenecks.
He added that the mission is also focused on attracting high-value investments in strategic sectors, including electrical and electronics, semiconductors, digital and cloud services, medical devices, green technology and artificial intelligence.
The talks take place just weeks before the expiry of a 90‑day tariff pause, imposed by US President Donald Trump since April 9.
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