Trump's blitz pushes US levies to highest levels since 1930s
The wall of levies announced by the president since he took office again in January has taken the country's effective tariff level to an estimated 17.3 per cent, according to Yale University's Budget Lab.
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Perth Now
3 minutes ago
- Perth Now
US envoy visits Gaza aid site amid humanitarian crisis
US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff has visited southern Gaza during international outrage over starvation, shortages and deadly chaos near aid distribution sites. Witkoff and US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Friday toured one of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's distribution sites in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, according to an official involved with the visit. The official requested anonymity because he was not authorised to brief the media. All four of the group's distribution sites are in zones controlled by the Israeli military and throughout their months in operation have become flashpoints of desperation, where starving people scramble for scarce aid. Hundreds have been killed by either gunfire or trampling. The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots at people who approach its forces, and GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to prevent deadly crowding. Witkoff's visit comes a week after US officials walked away from ceasefire talks in Qatar, blaming Hamas and pledging to seek other ways to rescue Israeli hostages and make Gaza safe. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that he was sent to craft a plan to boost food and aid deliveries as part of an effort "to save lives and end this crisis", while Trump wrote on social media that the fastest way to end the crisis would be for Hamas to surrender and release hostages. International organisations have said Gaza has been on the brink of famine for the past two years. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the leading international authority on food crises, said recent developments, including a complete blockade on aid for two-and-a-half months, mean the "worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in Gaza". Though the flow of aid has resumed, including via airdrops, the amount getting into Gaza remains far lower than what aid organisations say is needed. A security breakdown in the territory has made it nearly impossible to safely deliver food to starving Palestinians, much of the limited aid entering is horded and later sold at exorbitant prices. In a report issued on Friday, Human Rights Watch called it "a flawed, militarised aid distribution system that has turned aid distributions into regular bloodbaths". Israel's military and prime minister's office did not respond to request for comment on the report. A July 30 video published Thursday by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs showed an aid convoy driving past a border crossing as gunfire ricocheted off the ground near where crowds congregated. "We were met on the road by tens of thousands of hungry and desperate people who directly offloaded everything from the backs of our trucks," said Olga Cherevko, an OCHA staff member. The war between Israel and Hamas started when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1200 people and abducting 251 others. They still hold 50 hostages, including around 20 believed to be alive. Most of the others have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, whose count does not distinguish between militants and civilians. The ministry operates under the Hamas government. The UN and other international organisations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Relief in Southeast Asia as Trump's tariffs level field
Southeast Asian countries are breathing a sigh of relief after the US announced tariffs on their exports that were far lower than threatened and levelled the playing field with a rate of about 19 per cent across the region's biggest economies. US President Donald Trump's global tariffs offensive has shaken Southeast Asia, a region heavily reliant on exports and manufacturing and in many areas boosted by supply chain shifts from China. Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia joined Indonesia and the Philippines with a 19 per cent US tariff, a month after Washington imposed a 20 per cent levy on regional manufacturing powerhouse Vietnam. Southeast Asia - with economies collectively worth more than $US3.8 trillion ($A5.9 trillion) - had raced to offer concessions and secure deals with the United States, the top export market for much of the region. Malaysia's trade ministry said its rate, down from a threatened 25 per cent, was a positive outcome without compromising on what it called "red line" items. Thailand's finance minister said the reduction from 36 per cent to 19 per cent would help his country's struggling economy face global challenges ahead. "It helps maintain Thailand's competitiveness on the global stage, boosts investor confidence and opens the door to economic growth, increased income and new opportunities," Pichai Chunhavajira said on Friday. The extent of progress on bilateral trade deals with the United States was not immediately clear, with Washington so far reaching broad "framework agreements" with Indonesia and Vietnam, with scope to negotiate further. Thailand was about a third of the way there, Pichai said. The United States on Friday slashed the tariff rate for Cambodia to 19 per cent from earlier levies of 36 per cent and 49 per cent, a major boost for its crucial garments sector. "If the US maintained 49 per cent or 36 per cent, that industry would collapse in my opinion," Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and top trade negotiator Sun Chanthol said. In Thailand and Malaysia, business groups cheered a tariff rate that could signal a maintenance of the status quo between rival markets, among them beneficiaries of so-called "China plus one" trade. Much remains to be worked out by the Trump administration, including non-tariff barriers, rules of origin and what constitutes trans-shipment for the purposes of evading duties, a measure targeting goods originating from China with no or limited value added, where a 40 per cent tariff would apply. Vietnam has one of the world's largest trade surpluses with the United States, worth more than $US120 billion in 2024, and has been often singled out as a hub for the illegal rerouting of Chinese goods to America. It reached an agreement in July that slashed a levy from a threatened 46 per cent to 20 per cent, but concerns remain among some businesses that its heavy reliance on raw materials and components imported from China could lead to a wider application of the 40 per cent rate. Southeast Asian countries are breathing a sigh of relief after the US announced tariffs on their exports that were far lower than threatened and levelled the playing field with a rate of about 19 per cent across the region's biggest economies. US President Donald Trump's global tariffs offensive has shaken Southeast Asia, a region heavily reliant on exports and manufacturing and in many areas boosted by supply chain shifts from China. Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia joined Indonesia and the Philippines with a 19 per cent US tariff, a month after Washington imposed a 20 per cent levy on regional manufacturing powerhouse Vietnam. Southeast Asia - with economies collectively worth more than $US3.8 trillion ($A5.9 trillion) - had raced to offer concessions and secure deals with the United States, the top export market for much of the region. Malaysia's trade ministry said its rate, down from a threatened 25 per cent, was a positive outcome without compromising on what it called "red line" items. Thailand's finance minister said the reduction from 36 per cent to 19 per cent would help his country's struggling economy face global challenges ahead. "It helps maintain Thailand's competitiveness on the global stage, boosts investor confidence and opens the door to economic growth, increased income and new opportunities," Pichai Chunhavajira said on Friday. The extent of progress on bilateral trade deals with the United States was not immediately clear, with Washington so far reaching broad "framework agreements" with Indonesia and Vietnam, with scope to negotiate further. Thailand was about a third of the way there, Pichai said. The United States on Friday slashed the tariff rate for Cambodia to 19 per cent from earlier levies of 36 per cent and 49 per cent, a major boost for its crucial garments sector. "If the US maintained 49 per cent or 36 per cent, that industry would collapse in my opinion," Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and top trade negotiator Sun Chanthol said. In Thailand and Malaysia, business groups cheered a tariff rate that could signal a maintenance of the status quo between rival markets, among them beneficiaries of so-called "China plus one" trade. Much remains to be worked out by the Trump administration, including non-tariff barriers, rules of origin and what constitutes trans-shipment for the purposes of evading duties, a measure targeting goods originating from China with no or limited value added, where a 40 per cent tariff would apply. Vietnam has one of the world's largest trade surpluses with the United States, worth more than $US120 billion in 2024, and has been often singled out as a hub for the illegal rerouting of Chinese goods to America. It reached an agreement in July that slashed a levy from a threatened 46 per cent to 20 per cent, but concerns remain among some businesses that its heavy reliance on raw materials and components imported from China could lead to a wider application of the 40 per cent rate. Southeast Asian countries are breathing a sigh of relief after the US announced tariffs on their exports that were far lower than threatened and levelled the playing field with a rate of about 19 per cent across the region's biggest economies. US President Donald Trump's global tariffs offensive has shaken Southeast Asia, a region heavily reliant on exports and manufacturing and in many areas boosted by supply chain shifts from China. Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia joined Indonesia and the Philippines with a 19 per cent US tariff, a month after Washington imposed a 20 per cent levy on regional manufacturing powerhouse Vietnam. Southeast Asia - with economies collectively worth more than $US3.8 trillion ($A5.9 trillion) - had raced to offer concessions and secure deals with the United States, the top export market for much of the region. Malaysia's trade ministry said its rate, down from a threatened 25 per cent, was a positive outcome without compromising on what it called "red line" items. Thailand's finance minister said the reduction from 36 per cent to 19 per cent would help his country's struggling economy face global challenges ahead. "It helps maintain Thailand's competitiveness on the global stage, boosts investor confidence and opens the door to economic growth, increased income and new opportunities," Pichai Chunhavajira said on Friday. The extent of progress on bilateral trade deals with the United States was not immediately clear, with Washington so far reaching broad "framework agreements" with Indonesia and Vietnam, with scope to negotiate further. Thailand was about a third of the way there, Pichai said. The United States on Friday slashed the tariff rate for Cambodia to 19 per cent from earlier levies of 36 per cent and 49 per cent, a major boost for its crucial garments sector. "If the US maintained 49 per cent or 36 per cent, that industry would collapse in my opinion," Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and top trade negotiator Sun Chanthol said. In Thailand and Malaysia, business groups cheered a tariff rate that could signal a maintenance of the status quo between rival markets, among them beneficiaries of so-called "China plus one" trade. Much remains to be worked out by the Trump administration, including non-tariff barriers, rules of origin and what constitutes trans-shipment for the purposes of evading duties, a measure targeting goods originating from China with no or limited value added, where a 40 per cent tariff would apply. Vietnam has one of the world's largest trade surpluses with the United States, worth more than $US120 billion in 2024, and has been often singled out as a hub for the illegal rerouting of Chinese goods to America. It reached an agreement in July that slashed a levy from a threatened 46 per cent to 20 per cent, but concerns remain among some businesses that its heavy reliance on raw materials and components imported from China could lead to a wider application of the 40 per cent rate. Southeast Asian countries are breathing a sigh of relief after the US announced tariffs on their exports that were far lower than threatened and levelled the playing field with a rate of about 19 per cent across the region's biggest economies. US President Donald Trump's global tariffs offensive has shaken Southeast Asia, a region heavily reliant on exports and manufacturing and in many areas boosted by supply chain shifts from China. Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia joined Indonesia and the Philippines with a 19 per cent US tariff, a month after Washington imposed a 20 per cent levy on regional manufacturing powerhouse Vietnam. Southeast Asia - with economies collectively worth more than $US3.8 trillion ($A5.9 trillion) - had raced to offer concessions and secure deals with the United States, the top export market for much of the region. Malaysia's trade ministry said its rate, down from a threatened 25 per cent, was a positive outcome without compromising on what it called "red line" items. Thailand's finance minister said the reduction from 36 per cent to 19 per cent would help his country's struggling economy face global challenges ahead. "It helps maintain Thailand's competitiveness on the global stage, boosts investor confidence and opens the door to economic growth, increased income and new opportunities," Pichai Chunhavajira said on Friday. The extent of progress on bilateral trade deals with the United States was not immediately clear, with Washington so far reaching broad "framework agreements" with Indonesia and Vietnam, with scope to negotiate further. Thailand was about a third of the way there, Pichai said. The United States on Friday slashed the tariff rate for Cambodia to 19 per cent from earlier levies of 36 per cent and 49 per cent, a major boost for its crucial garments sector. "If the US maintained 49 per cent or 36 per cent, that industry would collapse in my opinion," Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and top trade negotiator Sun Chanthol said. In Thailand and Malaysia, business groups cheered a tariff rate that could signal a maintenance of the status quo between rival markets, among them beneficiaries of so-called "China plus one" trade. Much remains to be worked out by the Trump administration, including non-tariff barriers, rules of origin and what constitutes trans-shipment for the purposes of evading duties, a measure targeting goods originating from China with no or limited value added, where a 40 per cent tariff would apply. Vietnam has one of the world's largest trade surpluses with the United States, worth more than $US120 billion in 2024, and has been often singled out as a hub for the illegal rerouting of Chinese goods to America. It reached an agreement in July that slashed a levy from a threatened 46 per cent to 20 per cent, but concerns remain among some businesses that its heavy reliance on raw materials and components imported from China could lead to a wider application of the 40 per cent rate.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
India engaged in further trade talks with US
India is engaged in trade talks with the United States, an Indian government source with knowledge of the discussions says, a day after US President Donald Trump signed an order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi's exports. Trump set steep import duties on dozens of trading partners, including a 35 per cent tariff on many goods from Canada, 50 per cent for Brazil, 20 per cent for Taiwan and 39 per cent for Switzerland, according to a presidential executive order. A US delegation is expected to visit New Delhi later in August, the government source said. "We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward," India's foreign ministry said on Friday. Trade talks between Washington and New Delhi have been bogged down by issues including access to India's highly protected agriculture and dairy sector. Nearly $US40 billion ($A62 billion) worth of exports from the South Asian nation - the world's fifth-largest economy - could be affected by Trump's tariff salvo, according to the source. Without a deal, the rate singles out India for harsher trade conditions than its major peers, potentially damaging the economy of a strategic US partner in Asia that is seen as a counterbalance to Chinese influence. The source said there was no question of compromising on India's agriculture and dairy sectors, especially not allowing import of dairy products due to religiously based opposition to animal feed in these products. On Wednesday, Trump also threatened additional penalties on India for its commercial dealings with Russia and membership in the BRICS group of major emerging and developing economies. There is no clarity yet on the penalty. Trump accuses BRICS of pursuing "anti-American policies". Differences between the US and India could not be resolved overnight to arrive at a trade deal, a senior US official said on Thursday. The US has a trade deficit of $US46 billion with India. India is engaged in trade talks with the United States, an Indian government source with knowledge of the discussions says, a day after US President Donald Trump signed an order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi's exports. Trump set steep import duties on dozens of trading partners, including a 35 per cent tariff on many goods from Canada, 50 per cent for Brazil, 20 per cent for Taiwan and 39 per cent for Switzerland, according to a presidential executive order. A US delegation is expected to visit New Delhi later in August, the government source said. "We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward," India's foreign ministry said on Friday. Trade talks between Washington and New Delhi have been bogged down by issues including access to India's highly protected agriculture and dairy sector. Nearly $US40 billion ($A62 billion) worth of exports from the South Asian nation - the world's fifth-largest economy - could be affected by Trump's tariff salvo, according to the source. Without a deal, the rate singles out India for harsher trade conditions than its major peers, potentially damaging the economy of a strategic US partner in Asia that is seen as a counterbalance to Chinese influence. The source said there was no question of compromising on India's agriculture and dairy sectors, especially not allowing import of dairy products due to religiously based opposition to animal feed in these products. On Wednesday, Trump also threatened additional penalties on India for its commercial dealings with Russia and membership in the BRICS group of major emerging and developing economies. There is no clarity yet on the penalty. Trump accuses BRICS of pursuing "anti-American policies". Differences between the US and India could not be resolved overnight to arrive at a trade deal, a senior US official said on Thursday. The US has a trade deficit of $US46 billion with India. India is engaged in trade talks with the United States, an Indian government source with knowledge of the discussions says, a day after US President Donald Trump signed an order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi's exports. Trump set steep import duties on dozens of trading partners, including a 35 per cent tariff on many goods from Canada, 50 per cent for Brazil, 20 per cent for Taiwan and 39 per cent for Switzerland, according to a presidential executive order. A US delegation is expected to visit New Delhi later in August, the government source said. "We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward," India's foreign ministry said on Friday. Trade talks between Washington and New Delhi have been bogged down by issues including access to India's highly protected agriculture and dairy sector. Nearly $US40 billion ($A62 billion) worth of exports from the South Asian nation - the world's fifth-largest economy - could be affected by Trump's tariff salvo, according to the source. Without a deal, the rate singles out India for harsher trade conditions than its major peers, potentially damaging the economy of a strategic US partner in Asia that is seen as a counterbalance to Chinese influence. The source said there was no question of compromising on India's agriculture and dairy sectors, especially not allowing import of dairy products due to religiously based opposition to animal feed in these products. On Wednesday, Trump also threatened additional penalties on India for its commercial dealings with Russia and membership in the BRICS group of major emerging and developing economies. There is no clarity yet on the penalty. Trump accuses BRICS of pursuing "anti-American policies". Differences between the US and India could not be resolved overnight to arrive at a trade deal, a senior US official said on Thursday. The US has a trade deficit of $US46 billion with India. India is engaged in trade talks with the United States, an Indian government source with knowledge of the discussions says, a day after US President Donald Trump signed an order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi's exports. Trump set steep import duties on dozens of trading partners, including a 35 per cent tariff on many goods from Canada, 50 per cent for Brazil, 20 per cent for Taiwan and 39 per cent for Switzerland, according to a presidential executive order. A US delegation is expected to visit New Delhi later in August, the government source said. "We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward," India's foreign ministry said on Friday. Trade talks between Washington and New Delhi have been bogged down by issues including access to India's highly protected agriculture and dairy sector. Nearly $US40 billion ($A62 billion) worth of exports from the South Asian nation - the world's fifth-largest economy - could be affected by Trump's tariff salvo, according to the source. Without a deal, the rate singles out India for harsher trade conditions than its major peers, potentially damaging the economy of a strategic US partner in Asia that is seen as a counterbalance to Chinese influence. The source said there was no question of compromising on India's agriculture and dairy sectors, especially not allowing import of dairy products due to religiously based opposition to animal feed in these products. On Wednesday, Trump also threatened additional penalties on India for its commercial dealings with Russia and membership in the BRICS group of major emerging and developing economies. There is no clarity yet on the penalty. Trump accuses BRICS of pursuing "anti-American policies". Differences between the US and India could not be resolved overnight to arrive at a trade deal, a senior US official said on Thursday. The US has a trade deficit of $US46 billion with India.
