ASEAN Yet To Decide On Date For Special Leaders’ Meeting To Discuss US Tariffs
By Harizah Hanim Mohamed
KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, as the ASEAN chair this year, is working to set a date for the Special Leaders’ Meeting to discuss the bloc’s way forward in addressing and mitigating potential disruptions to regional trade caused by the tariffs imposed by the United States.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was responding to a question from the media on the Special ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting, which was announced by Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who chaired a special ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) virtual meeting earlier today.
He said this after closing the 12th ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (AFMGM) chaired by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
To another question on whether ASEAN would file a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the decision by the US to impose unilateral tariffs on 168 countries, which also included the 10 ASEAN member states, Anwar said: “We are discussing it.”
Anwar, who is expected to chair the Special Leaders’ Meeting, earlier said that countries should use the WTO platform to resolve trade issues and problems, including tariffs.
The furore over tariffs was ignited after US President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on April 2, but which has now being paused for 90 days.
-- BERNAMA