Minister Rubio confirmed the US commitment to Asia-Pacific partners despite the threat of tariffs from President Trump. He used the visit to Malaysia to strengthen cooperation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Thursday that Washington is still determined to keep his partnerships in the Asian-Pacific region despite the duties at risk of US President Donald Trump. The chief of American diplomacy said this during a visit to Malaysia, who is the first stop on his journey around Asia. TASR reports according to AFP.
“This region remains the central point of the US foreign policy,” Rubio said at a meeting of regional foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur. “We do not intend to leave it, but rather to strengthen and build partnerships,” he explained.
Trump’s duties
Ruba’s visit takes place at a time when Trump is in danger of imposing duties of 20 to 50 percent to several countries, many of which are in Asia.
Councils of 25 percent are threatened by the closest US partner in the region – Japan and South Korea. Washington plans to impose 20 to 40 % duties for Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brune and Myanmar. Vietnam is the only country in the region that has so far agreed with the USA on a new business contract.
Important meetings
Rubio also plans to meet with Prime Minister Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The trilateral meeting will have resort colleagues from Japan and Philippines.
