On February 1st, US President Trump signed an executive order announcing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods starting from February 4th. China immediately announced countermeasures against the United States starting from February 10th. This measure has raised concerns among some Southeast Asian countries, who are worried that cheap Chinese goods may flood the local market and further impact the local economy. Experts call on member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to take measures to ensure the stability of local businesses and markets.

Former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Surangay, stated in a speech at Chulalongkorn University that if the United States increases tariffs on Chinese goods, Chinese goods may be transferred to other countries for sale, and Thailand may be one of the destinations. He urged the government to establish a cross departmental dedicated committee to negotiate with the United States with a unified approach, or toASEANNational cooperation, mastering negotiation chips. Suragi emphasized that unified action at the national level is crucial and requires joint efforts from government agencies and private enterprises. If Thailand's negotiation ability is insufficient, it should form an alliance with neighboring countries in the Mekong River Basin; If it is still not strong enough, it must be combined withASEANCooperation among 10 countries.

In order to avoid trade sanctions from the United States, the Thai government is considering importing more American goods to narrow the trade gap between the two countries and hopes to use this to negotiate with the United States. At present, the Thai government has requested Thai petrochemical companies to purchase at least 1 million tons of ethane with a market value of approximately 200 million US dollars from the United States.

Malaysia's Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Liu Zhendong, pointed out that due to weak domestic demand in China, Chinese businesses are seeking opportunities in other regions. The Malaysian government plans to strengthen anti-dumping laws to curb the influx of cheap Chinese goods into the Malaysian market.

In addition to the influx of cheap goods, many Chinese companies have also shifted their production bases to Southeast Asia in recent years, covering the catering, construction, and service industries. Due to the difficulty of competing with Chinese enterprises in terms of cost, local enterprises often face losses. Cai Zhaoyuan believes that in the past 20 years, the world has advocated for free trade, but with the changing situation, Malaysia andASEANCorresponding measures should be taken to protect local enterprises.

Professor Huang Jinrong from the Department of Economics at Universiti Malaysia's Raman University pointed out that Southeast Asian countries should strictly implement rules of origin to ensure that at least 20% of product value-added and production are completed locally. Huang Jinrong stated that many Chinese companies entering Southeast Asia rely on Chinese workers, contractors, and materials, which not only does not bring any spillover effects, but also erodes the local market. Even though this contributes to trade surplus in numbers, it lacks substantial economic effects and may even exacerbate the risk of a trade war with the United States.

The escalation of the China US trade war has had a profound impact on the global economy, and Southeast Asian countries, as an important part of the global economy, are facing new challenges and opportunities. Governments around the world need to take effective measures to protect local enterprises while seizing opportunities for foreign investment inflows to promote sustainable economic development.