How Trump's trade policy is handing Asia to Beijing | Fortune
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Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, announced in April 2025, have pushed Southeast Asian nations toward trade deals with Washington—including Boeing purchases and prospective LNG contracts—while some ASEAN countries used the tariff threat to dismantle non-tariff barriers and implement domestic reforms. However, according to Fortune contributor and former U.S. ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius, the broader strategic effect risks ceding Asian economic influence to Beijing, as regional governments hedge against unpredictable U.S. trade policy. The piece argues that tariffs designed to rebalance trade are instead accelerating China's economic integration with ASEAN, a bloc central to global supply chains. Osius, who served as ambassador under both Obama and Trump, frames the dynamic as a self-inflicted erosion of American commercial standing in the fastest-growing region of the global economy. Investors and policymakers should watch upcoming ASEAN summit outcomes and any follow-through on announced U.S.-Southeast Asia trade agreements for signals on whether the trend can be reversed.
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Donald Trump, ASEAN, Beijing, Boeing (BA)
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