Under attack by Trump’s tariffs, Asian countries seek out better friends

Sign up now: Get STs newsletters delivered to your inbox

Shipping containers are seen at Pyeongtaek port in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on April 15.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Lydia DePillis

SEOUL, South Korea – For most countries that received US President Donald Trump’s letters last week threatening steep tariffs, especially the Asian nations with economies focused on supplying the United States, there are no obvious substitutes as a destination for their goods.

But they are doing their best to find them.

Business and political leaders around the world have been roundly baffled by the White House’s

imposition of new duties

“Across the world, tools once used to generate growth are now wielded to pressure, isolate and contain,” Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

said at a gathering of South-east Asian leaders

There are already a few signs of such efforts. South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, sent special envoys to Australia and Germany to discuss defence and trade issues, and plans on dispatching delegations to several others. Brazil and India announced plans to increase their bilateral trade by 70 per cent, to US$20 billion (S$26 billion).

Indonesia says it is

nearing a treaty with the European Union