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Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Politics
Erin Hale

Trump’s transshipment crackdown spells danger for Southeast Asian economies

A cargo ship is loaded with containers as it is docked at the port of Bangkok, Thailand, April 3, 2025 [Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters]

Taipei, Taiwan – Southeast Asia’s export-driven economies are facing new uncertainty from United States President Donald Trump’s trade war, as his administration cracks down on exports directed through third countries to avoid his tariffs on China.

Under an executive order issued by Trump last week, goods imported into the US face a punitive 40 percent tariff, plus penalties and any applicable country-of-origin duties, if US Customs and Border Protection determines they have been “transshipped”.

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