Liberation Day has arrived. On Wednesday (April 2, 2025), United States president Donald Trump kept to his word and announced a series of reciprocal tariffs affecting over 180 countries, including Malaysia. These tariffs serve to treatment what Trump calls unfair trade policies imposed by countries, with some set to face higher tariffs for being “worst offenders.”
To kick things off, a ten% baseline tariff shall be imposed on all countries starting April 5. Meanwhile, “worst offenders” are slapped with individualised tariffs that go as high as 50%. Key trading partners that make up this list include the European Union (20%), China (34%), Vietnam (46%), Thailand (36%), Japan (24%), Cambodia (49%), South Africa (30%) and Taiwan (32%). Malaysia is hit with a 24% tariff, in case you’re wondering.
In a fact sheet posted by the White House, it was revealed that some good is not going to be subjected to those tariffs. These include steel and aluminium in addition to cars and automotive parts which might be already subject to a 25% tariff, with the fabric tax already energetic since March 12 while the car-related tariff takes effect on April 3 (local US time).
Canada and Mexico are also not subject to further tariffs, each of which currently facing a 25% tax since March 4. The brand new reciprocal tariff imposed on China stacks on top of the present 20% announced earlier, which suggests the true tariff rate is 54%, CNBC reports.
China and Hong Kong will even not enjoy duty-free de minimis treatment come May 2. “Imported goods sent through means apart from the international postal network which might be valued at or under USD800 (about RM3.6k) and that will otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption shall be subject to all applicable duties,” read a separate fact sheet.
“All relevant postal items containing goods which might be sent through the international postal network which might be valued at or under USD800 (RM3.6k) and that will otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption are subject to an obligation rate of either 30% of their value or USD25 (RM112) per item (increasing to USD50/RM224 per item after June 1, 2025),” it continued.
Trump noted that the reciprocal rates will not be necessarily the one US tariffs that countries will face. We’ll charge them roughly half of what they’re and have been charging us. So, the tariffs shall be not a full reciprocal,” he said. The reciprocal tariffs include “the combined rate of all their tariffs, nonmonetary barriers and other types of cheating,” Trump noted.
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This Article First Appeared At paultan.org
