Here’s How Governments Are Reacting After Trump’s Tariff Changes

Here’s what governments around the world are saying after the US Supreme Court invalidated President Donald Trump’s broad emergency tariffs and his subsequent move to impose a 10% global tariff under a different statute.Author of the article:You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — Here’s what governments around the world are saying after the US Supreme Court invalidated President Donald Trump’s broad emergency tariffs and his subsequent move to impose a 10% global tariff under a different statute.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.BrazilTrump’s 10% tariff won’t affect Brazil’s competitiveness on trade, Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin told reporters on Friday. “It opened an even wider avenue for more robust foreign trade,” he said.CambodiaDeputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol said Cambodia is “moving forward with the ratification of the agreement on reciprocal trade that we signed with the US.” “The ART is not only about one tariff rate. It covers other topics that we have agreed with the US and we honor our commitments,” he said in a text message.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.CanadaDominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister for US trade, said the ruling reinforced his country’s position that tariffs under the US International Emergency Economic Powers Act were “unjustified.”European UnionEU lawmakers will hold an emergency meeting Monday to reassess the bloc’s trade deal with the US, which would erase tariffs on most US goods and set a 15% levy on EU products.FranceFrance wants to continue exporting its goods from the agricultural, luxury, fashion, cosmetics and aeronautics industries with “the fairest rules possible,” President Emmanuel Macron said, adding that the country will “adapt accordingly.”“What we want is reciprocity and not to be subject to unilateral decisions,” he said, while emphasizing a need “to focus on appeasement at the international level and continuity in the modernization of our economy in all these sectors.”Brussels has the tools, including its “trade bazooka” — the Anti-Coercion Instrument — to hit back at the US for its latest round of tariffs, France’s Trade Minister Nicolas Forissier told the Financial Times.GermanyChancellor Friedrich Merz’s deputy and Germany’s finance minister, Lars Klingbeil, said Europeans need to maintain their united stance and become so strong “that no one can blackmail us.”“Uncertainty remains high,” he told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, pointing to industry-specific tariffs in key sectors like automobiles and steel that aren’t covered by the ruling.Hong KongHong Kong will see a “limited impact” from the new 10% US tariff, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui was cited as saying by the South China Morning Post.IndiaThe government is studying the implications of the judgment and the subsequent steps announced by the Trump administration, India’s commerce ministry said.Opposition leaders called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration to renegotiate the nation’s trade deal with the US, while the head of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations said “we all have a level playing field now.”IndonesiaIndonesia, which finalized its trade pact with the US on Thursday, said the continuation of the deal “remains dependent on the decisions of both parties,” with both sides still needing to seek domestic approvals before the agreement could come into effect.The two sides will hold further bilateral talks regarding all decisions made, said Haryo Limanseto, a spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.MalaysiaMalaysia recognizes the US “retains other legal mechanisms to impose trade measures, including unilateral tariffs, should it choose to do so,” Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Johari Abdul Ghani said. “We also note the recent announcement by President Donald Trump of a temporary 10% tariff measure, and we are studying its scope and implications. At this stage, we are awaiting further clarity on how these measures will be implemented and whether additional adjustments will follow.”“We have signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade but have not ratified it and the Government is carefully assessing recent legal and policy developments in the United States,” he said.MexicoEconomy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said he planned to travel to the US next week to address trade issues.South KoreaSouth Korea said the Supreme Court ruling would not derail its broader trade agreement with Washington.

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan held an emergency meeting Saturday to assess the decision. The ruling renders void the 15% reciprocal tariff currently applied to Korean goods, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said in a statement. “Although the ruling has heightened uncertainty over exports to the US, the overall framework of export conditions secured under the Korea-US tariff agreement will remain intact,” Kim said. Sectoral tariffs on automobiles and steel, imposed under separate laws, remain in place, and are unaffected by the court’s decision, the ministry said.TaiwanTaiwan expects limited impact from Trump’s imposition of a 10% global tariff, cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee said, citing an initial assessment.ThailandThe Thai government will continue trade negotiations with US to maintain stability in trade and investment relations, mitigate risks from volatile trade measures, and manage potential impacts on Thai businesses, according to Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun.“Renewed uncertainty over US tariffs could trigger another round of front-loading, prompting buyers to stock up again and supporting Thai exports early this year,” Nantapong Chiralerspong, director-general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office under the Commerce Ministry said.The PhilippinesFinance Secretary Frederick Go said the country will continue to engage with the US as “they are an important trade and investment partner.” He added that previously, the majority of Philippine exports to the US were already exempted from tariffs even before the Supreme Court decision.United KingdomLondon is working with Washington to understand how overturning US tariffs will affect the UK but expects the country’s “privileged trading position” with the US to continue, the Press Association cited a government spokesman as saying.—With assistance from Netty Ismail, Philip J. Heijmans, Heesu Lee, Suttinee Yuvejwattana, Annie Lee, Eko Listiyorini, Phil Serafino, Manolo Serapio Jr., Alexander Weber, Daniel Carvalho and Sudhi Ranjan Sen.Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.