ASEAN to unite on US tariff response, says economist

The Sun

22-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: The ASEAN bloc should adopt a unified stance when negotiating retaliatory tariffs imposed by the United States (US) to ensure equitable benefits for all member states, said Putra Business School (PBS) MBA Programme Director Associate Professor Dr Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff.
He said Malaysia should take the lead in persuading fellow ASEAN nations to speak with one voice in negotiations over the tariffs introduced during the administration of US President Donald Trump.
'Individually, ASEAN countries lack the economic clout to counter US trade measures, but a united front would represent a formidable regional force,' he said during a special broadcast on the 46th ASEAN Summit aired on Bernama TV on Wednesday.
Ahmed Razman said ASEAN needs a consensus-based strategy.
'Imagine a region aiming to strengthen ties with China, but if each country goes it alone, we are simply playing by the US's rules.
'There is a saying, 'united we stand, divided we fall' – and now is the time to make that real. This is something Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair, must fully embrace,' he added.
Ahmed Razman also stressed that boosting intra-ASEAN trade must begin with increasing domestic demand across the region, home to about 700 million people.
'Demand stems from consumers' purchasing power. If people cannot afford goods, or demand is weak, trade cannot grow,' he said.
Malaysia, as Chair and host of ASEAN 2025, will convene the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from May 26.
Two high-level meetings are also scheduled alongside the summit, the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, both seen as key platforms for strengthening regional and inter-regional cooperation.