A Special ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting was convened on 10 April 2025 to discuss the impact of the recent Announcement of Reciprocal Tariffs by the United States (US) on 2 April 2025.
The Special AEM was attended by the Economic Ministers of all ASEAN Member States and Timor Leste, and the Secretary General of ASEAN. ASEAN Member States and Timor Leste unanimously refute the basis used in calculations by the US and agreed that the Reciprocal Tariffs by the US – ranging from 10% to 49% – will have a profound impact on ASEAN’s economic growth and development trajectories. These tariffs will be regressive to ASEAN’s regional economic integration efforts built on a rules-based system, since its establishment in 1967. It was also agreed that Trump’s announcement on 9 April 2025 for a 90 – day pause on Reciprocal Tariffs, while applying the baseline tariff of 10%, provides a window of opportunity to find a pragmatic and mutually advantageous solution for ASEAN in a strategic and tactful manner.

Click here to read the full statement.

• MITI