US exports went to Vietnam’s economic success

US President Donald Trump President Trump’s large tariffs are currently operating on the majority of the world – and no other region has been affected by China as much as Southeast Asia.

At the top of the list are Vietnam and Cambodia, affected by some of the highest tariffs: 46% and 49%. The following are Thailand (36%), Indonesia (32%) and Malaysia (24%). The Philippines receive 17%and Singapore 10%.

This is a huge blow for the region, strongly dependent on export. Its extensive economic development over the last three decades has been largely due to the success of its products the rest of the world, in particular in the US.

Exports to the United States make 23% of Vietnam GDP and 67% Cambodia.

This growth story is now applied to punitive measures introduced in Washington.

The longer influence of these tariffs, believing that they remain in place, will vary, but will certainly treat big problems for the governments of Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, in particular.

Vietnam’s “Bamboo Diplomacy”, where she tries to be friends with everyone and balance ties with China and the US, will now be checked.

Under the leadership of the new Secretary -General of the Communist Party in Lam, Vietnam launched an ambitious construction plan over income by 2045 on the basis of knowledge and technology. It is aimed at annual growth rate over 8%.

Exports are more in the US, already the largest market, was the main one in this regard.

This was also the main reason that Vietnam agreed to raise his attitude to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2023.

The Communist Party, which tolerates little dissent and has no official political opposition, depends on its economic promises for legitimacy. Many economists are already viewed as too ambitious, now it will be even harder.

Thailand depends on the US exports less than in Vietnam – up to 10% of GDP – but the Thai economy has been in a much worse form, not in recent decades. The Thai government is trying to find ways to raise economic growth, trying recently, but has not legalized in gambling, and these tariffs are another economic blow that it cannot afford.

For Cambodia, tariffs are perhaps the greatest political threat in the region.

The Hun Mona government turned out to be as authoritarian as his father Hune Sen, whom he succeeded two years ago, but it was vulnerable.

Keeping the ownership of the Hun family requires the proposal of the opponents of Cambodia’s economic privileges, such as monopoly or concessions, but it helped to create oversaturation of ownership that is no longer sold, and a lot of grievances over the exppriation of the Earth.

The middle sector, which operates 750,000 people, was the most important social security valve, giving constant income to the poorest Cambodia. Thousands of these jobs will probably be lost as a result of the tariffs for the Trump president.

Unlike China, which reflected on their own levies, the official message of the governments of Southeast Asia does not panic, do not recall, but agree.

Vietnam sent Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duk Fi to Washington to recognize his country’s case, and suggested eliminating all tariffs for US imports. Thailand plans to send its finance minister to make a similar appeal, and offered to reduce its tariffs and buy more American products, such as food and planes.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anvar Ibrahim is also heading to Washington, although only 11% of the total Malaysia exports, his country is less affected than some of her neighbors.

However, the Trump administration seems to have no mood to compromise.

Peter Navaro, Senior Presidential Advisor Trump for Trade and Production and one of the main thinkers behind the new policy, said in an interview on Monday that the Vietnam’s proposal was meaningless as it would not resolve the trade deficit where Vietnam sells goods in the US for every $ 1.

He accused Vietnam of preserving several unverified barriers to US imports and said a third of all exports of Vietnamese in the US was actually Chinese products crossed through Vietnam.

The share of Vietnamese exports, which is carried out or overloaded there to avoid tariffs for China, is difficult to evaluate, but detailed trade studies have been put from 7% to 16% rather than one -third.

Like Vietnam, the Cambodia government appealed to the United States to postpone tariffs when it tries to negotiate.

The local US Chamber of Commerce called for 49% of the tariffs, given that the Cambodian industry, the country’s largest employer, will suffer greatly, but no tariff level, as if high, saw that the production and shoes would return to the US.

Perhaps the most perverted tariff rate is 44%, applied to Myanmar, a country that died in a civil war that is unable to buy more US goods.

US exports are only a small share of Myanmar’s GDP less than 1%.

But, as in Cambodia, this sector, mostly clothing, is one of the few, which provides stable profits to poor families in Myanmar cities.

In the highest irony, Trump was still a popular figure in the region.

He was widely fond of Vietnam for his tough, transaction approach to foreign policy, and former Cambodia strongman Hong Saint, still the main power behind the scenes, has long been seeking close personal relations with the US president, proudly placing selfies with him at the first meeting in 2017.

Just last month Cambodia praised Trump To close the American media, America and Radio Free Europe, which often tolerated the types of stone dissidents.

Now Cambodia, like many neighbors, is in a long line asking him to facilitate their tariff load.