Asian countries not expected to counter latest Trump tariffs, says trade law expert

Record ID: 2343275

  • Title: Asian countries not expected to counter latest Trump tariffs, says trade law expert
  • Date: 21st February 2026
  • Summary: SINGAPORE (FEBRUARY 21, 2026) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAW PROFESSOR AT SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY, HENRY GAO, SAYING: "From Beijing's perspective, legal uncertainty is secondary to political certainty. And the political direction in the U.S. has been remarkably consistent. Across administrations, across parties, the broad consensus is that the economic competi
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: asia brics china export import japan korea tariff trade trump vietnam xi xi jinping
  • Location: SINGAPORE / SHANGHAI, YIWU, SHAOGUAN, CHINA
  • City: SINGAPORE / SHANGHAI, YIWU, SHAOGUAN, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics,International Trade
  • Reuters ID: LVA002732121022026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART QUALITY AS INCOMING

    EDITORS PLEASE SEE FOLLOWING EDITS FOR FILE FOOTAGE ON ASIA TARIFFS AND TRADE:

    5787-USA-TRUMP/TARIFFS-CHINA-FILE

    3816-USA-TRUMP/TARIFFS-INDIA-FILE

    1825-USA-TRUMP/TARIFFS-JAPAN-FILE

    2146-USA-TRUMP/TARIFFS-SOUTHKOREA-FILE
    Asian countries are unlikely to attempt further trade renegotiation with the US after President Donald Trump announced a temporary 10% global import duty when his tariffs were struck down by the Supreme Court, an international trade law expert said on Saturday (February 21).
    The court on Friday (February 20) upended one of Trump's top priorities in his second term as president, deciding in a blockbuster ruling that his imposition of sweeping global tariffs on nearly every U.S. trading partner exceeded his powers under federal law.
    A furious Trump then signed executive orders late on Friday to impose new tariffs starting on Tuesday (February 24) under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, partly replacing tariffs of 10% to 50% under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act that the top court declared illegal, and ending collection of the now-banned duties.
    "For many of them, the U.S. is not just a major export destination. It is also a security partner, especially for countries like Japan and Korea, a technology partner, and also a financial anchor. So the dominant instinct would be risk management rather than confrontation or trying to renegotiate the deals," said Henry Gao, a law professor and international trade law expert at Singapore Management University.
    The orders continued exemptions already in place for aerospace products; passenger cars and some light trucks; goods from Mexico and Canada that are compliant with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement; pharmaceuticals and certain critical minerals and agricultural products.
    The never-used Section 122 authority allows the president to impose duties of up to 15% for up to 150 days on any and all countries to address "large and serious" balance of payments issues. 
    China, which is preparing to host Trump in late March, has yet to formally comment or launch any counter moves with the country on an extended holiday. Gao does not expect the latest tariff developments to impact bilateral relations.
    (Production: Nicoco Chan)
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