Ministries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) expressed “deep concern” over unilateral tariffs introduced by the United States.
The statement, adopted during their virtual Special ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting on 10 April, highlights potential disruptions to global trade.

The ten ASEAN nations, unexpectedly hit hard by President Trump’s recent tariff announcement, are urging dialogue and cooperation rather than pursuing retaliatory measures.
“We express our common intention to engage in a frank and constructive dialogue with the U.S. to address trade-related concerns. Open communication and collaboration will be crucial to ensuring a balanced and sustainable relationship,” the statement read. “In that spirit, ASEAN commits to not impose any retaliatory measures in response to the U.S. tariffs.”
The statement also expressed support for the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the foundation of the global multilateral trading system and endorsed recent statements by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala regarding the potential impact of US tariffs on global trade and economic growth.
“We reaffirm our support for a predictable, transparent, free, fair, inclusive, sustainable, and rules-based multilateral trading system”, the statement added.

The ASEAN bloc, which represents the fifth largest economy globally, emphasized the importance of its economic relationship with the United States, noting that in 2024, the US was ASEAN’s largest source of foreign direct investment and second-largest trading partner. Conversely, ASEAN served as the fifth-largest trading partner for the United States last year.
The reciprocal tariffs took effect on 9 April but were suspended hours later for a period of 90 days for most countries. In six out of ten Southeast Asian nations, including Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, and Indonesia, tariffs range from 32 percent to 49 percent.
However, while the US suspended some tariffs, the overall policy has created significant uncertainty for businesses, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the regional leaders said in the recent online meeting.
Looking forward, ASEAN ministers pledged to strengthen regional economic integration through initiatives such as the Upgrade of the ASEAN Trade-In-Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). Moreover, committed to enhancing economic cooperation.
“We will also strengthen and expand our economic links with ASEAN’s external partners, including our Dialogue Partners, and seek out opportunities for economic cooperation with new partners,” the statement added.
The ministers concluded by emphasizing their commitment to working “with greater unity and solidarity” to overcome the challenges posed by the current global trade situation while minimizing the impact on their populations and maintaining sustainable growth.