ASEAN to Address US Tariffs Using Existing Mechanisms

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will apply its existing mechanisms in addressing the newly imposed tariffs of the United States, the regional organization's Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn said Wednesday. In a press briefing, Kao said ASEAN has been addressing issues in two ways: by letting each country make their decision and collectively handling them. "ASEAN responded in two ways. One was to allow each member state to make its own decision to respond to the US," Kao said during the 10th ASEAN Media Forum in Pasay City. "And second, of course, collectively. They will use the existing mechanism between ASEAN and the United States to address this issue," he added. On Saturday (Philippine time), US President Donald Trump imposed new tariffs for 150 days under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. This partly replaced tariffs of 10% to 50% under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act that the US top court declared illegal, and ending collection of the now-banned duties. Finance Secretary Frederick Go said the Philippines will continue to engaged with the US, and that the Philippine government is unfazed by the new 10% global import tariff policy. Kao further said ASEAN will have to work with US to address the issue since it affects different sectors. "This is an ongoing issue. For business people, for those who do oil imports, for the people involved in trade, they want to see a bigger world. That's why I'm saying that we have to work with the US to address this issue," Kao said. For Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, tariff issues can be negotiated with US. "All these issues can be negotiated. At the same time, ASEAN has always been very good in having these negotiations," said Lazaro, who also serves as ASEAN chair. "Secondly, I defer this also to the office of the ASEAN economic ministers. They will be having an ASEAN ministers' meeting very soon," she added.