Asian economies brace for fresh tariff wave

Amid deadline extension, countries push for negotiations with US as duties deepen uncertainty, threaten exports, jobs

US President Donald Trump's latest tariff threat — proposing levies of up to 40 percent on more than a dozen countries, mostly in Asia — has sparked fresh concerns and deepened economic uncertainty across the region.

Several targeted nations have vowed to continue talks with the United States, viewing the move as a pressure tactic as Trump extended the July 9 deadline for implementing the "reciprocal tariffs" to Aug 1.

In a social media post on Monday, Trump said he had sent letters to the leaders of 14 countries — 10 of them in Asia — informing them that tariffs of 25 to 40 percent would take effect next month. The affected Asian countries are Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, South Korea, and Thailand.