Tariffs Won T Backfire On Us Or Alienate Asean Says Rubio

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 The US secretary of state says Washington may reach individual arrangements that ‘change these numbers in a positive way’.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said the reciprocal tariffs are necessary to address the ‘enormous trade deficits’ his country has built up with multiple countries around the world.PETALING JAYA: The tariffs announced by US president Donald Trump will not backfire on the US or alienate Asean, says US secretary of state Marco Rubio
Rubio said the US may reach arrangements with individual countries that “change these numbers in a positive way”.
“That takes some time to work on, but that could happen. However, by and large, this is not aimed at any one country,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings in Kuala Lumpur today.
Rubio defended the tariffs as necessary to address the “enormous trade deficits” the US had built up with multiple countries around the world.
“This is globalised. It applies to virtually every country in the world because the trade deficit the US was running with too many countries is simply unsustainable. We had to address it,” he said.
Yesterday, Rubio expressed optimism that once negotiations over tariffs are resolved, Southeast Asian nations could benefit from more favourable trade terms.
“When all is said and done, many countries in Southeast Asia could end up with tariff rates that are actually better than those in other parts of the world.
“The door remains open to adjustments if agreements can be reached, and we are actively engaged in conversations with several countries represented here to make further progress,” he said.
Rubio also said yesterday the US administration is working on a date for the US-Asean summit called for by Malaysia as the Asean chair in response to Trump’s tariffs.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has extended an invitation to Trump to attend both the US-Asean summit and the East Asia summit, scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur in October. - FMT

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