Cargo at Long Beach Port, California, the US. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)  

With the US’s 90-day suspension on reciprocal tariffs set to expire on July 9, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is ramping up negotiations with Washington while seeking to coordinate a unified stance within the bloc to respond to shifting US trade policies.

According to the International Trade Centre (ITC), the US remains heavily reliant on imports from Southeast Asia, with total trade valued at 358.56 billion USD in 2024. This figure accounts for 10.67% of total US imports, which stood at 3.36 trillion USD, and represents a 13.3% increase from 2023.

ASEAN is now the fourth-largest exporter to the US, following the European Union, Mexico, China, and Canada.

Among ASEAN members, Vietnam led in shipments to the US last year, reaching 142.48 billion USD, followed by Thailand (66.01 billion USD) and Malaysia (53.85 billion USD). Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that exports to the US comprise around 13% of his country’s total export value.

ASEAN’s main exports to the US include electrical machinery and equipment, industrial machinery, and mechanical devices. Vietnam topped the region in exports of electrical machinery and equipment (42.57 billion USD), trailed by Malaysia (28.43 billion USD). Thailand was the region’s largest exporter of auto parts to the US (2.59 billion USD), Malaysia led in aircraft component exports (450 million USD), Singapore stood out in pharmaceuticals, while Cambodia primarily shipped garments and accessories.

Facing a wave of rising US import tariffs, ASEAN has adopted a “hybrid” strategy, which maintains internal unity while allowing individual member states the flexibility to negotiate bilaterally with the US to safeguard national interests.

According to the earlier US tariff announcement, several Southeast Asian countries are facing some of the highest reciprocal rates: Cambodia (49%), Laos (48%), Vietnam (46%), Myanmar (44%), Thailand (36%), and Indonesia (32%). Meanwhile, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Singapore face lower rates ranging from 10% to 24%./.