Washington: Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz is scheduled to meet United States Trade Representative (USTR), Jamieson Greer, and other relevant officials on April 24 to discuss the reciprocal tariffs imposed on Malaysia.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, during his two-day visit, Tengku Zafrul will engage with officials from former US President Donald Trump’s administration and seize the opportunity to meet with various chambers, companies, and interest groups. The purpose is to clarify Malaysia’s position and gather feedback from the Cabinet. Tengku Zafrul highlighted Malaysia’s neutral stance and its crucial role in the semiconductor and electronics sectors, emphasizing that Malaysia aims to support, not threaten, US industries.

The minister will be joined by MITI deputy secretary-general (trade) Mastura Ahmad Mustafa and other ministry officials, with representatives from Malaysia’s Embassy in Washington also part of the delegation. He emphasized that the trip is intended for discussions rather than negotiations, underscoring Malaysia’s role in the Asia-US supply chain.

While the visit is focused on Malaysia, Tengku Zafrul plans to reiterate ASEAN’s stance on the tariff issue, especially following the special ASEAN Economic Ministers’ meeting. As ASEAN chair, he will advocate for a rule-based global trading system and multilateralism in trade discussions. ASEAN and Malaysia have expressed their intention not to take retaliatory measures.

Tengku Zafrul emphasized the need to address misconceptions about high tariffs imposed on US products by ASEAN countries. Following a special meeting on April 10, ASEAN committed to engaging in open dialogue with the US to resolve trade concerns, aiming to protect ASEAN’s economic interests and maintain strong trade relations with the US.

ASEAN’s Indochina members have been significantly affected by the tariffs, with Cambodia facing the highest combined duties at 49 per cent, followed by Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore also faced varying tariff rates. The reciprocal tariffs, excluding China, are currently on a 90-day pause.