ASEAN unity seen as key against levies

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations must harness its "collective bargaining power" to counter the potentially harsh impact brought by the higher United States tariffs, analysts said, as was urged by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Southeast Asian economies, which have long thrived on export growth and free trade, are expected to be hard hit by the so-called reciprocal tariffs that US President Donald Trump unveiled on April 2.

Malaysia, as this year's rotating chair of ASEAN, responded quickly. In a social media address, Anwar said he will "continue to coordinate efforts to present a united regional front, maintain open and resilient supply chains, and ensure that ASEAN's collective voice is heard clearly and firmly on the international stage".