In a move that felt straight out of a blockbuster team-up, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and Malaysia's minister of investment, trade and industry, Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, connected via video link to talk joint strategies on countering U.S. tariff hikes. With Malaysia holding the rotating chair of ASEAN, the meeting showcased a united front in addressing what both sides described as unfair trade measures.
Wang stressed that these so-called reciprocal tariffs ignore the hard-won balance achieved through years of multilateral trade negotiations. He warned that such unilateral tactics not only hurt the interests of the Chinese mainland and ASEAN members, but also endanger global economic growth and the stability of industrial and supply chains. In his words, the U.S. move represents a classic case of unilateral bullying. 🚫🤜
On the other side, Tengku Zafrul asserted that Malaysia's stance opposes U.S. policies that contradict the principles of free and fair trade, as set out by the World Trade Organization. He emphasized that engaging in dialogue and consultation with other ASEAN members is key to crafting a collective response to these tariff hikes.
This dynamic session underscores a commitment to preserving a multilateral trading system where every nation’s interests are respected. Much like a modern-day superhero team, the Chinese mainland and ASEAN trading partners are uniting to protect global trade fairness and stability. 🚀🤝
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
