Tariffs, rare earths and other critical minerals are likely to dominate talks when US president Donald Trump attends the 47th Asean Summit this week, says an economist.
Goh Lim Thye, a senior economics lecturer at Universiti Malaya, said tariff issues were expected to feature prominently in bilateral discussions, although there were no clear signs that Washington would lift duties on Malaysian exports such as pharmaceuticals and furniture.
“Malaysia will likely push for sector-specific relief or review mechanisms, particularly in industries where value-added production benefits both sides,” said Goh in a Bernama report.
He said full exemptions or immediate tariff removals were unlikely, but a US commitment to review current rates or enter into structured negotiations would be a “constructive step…