ISTANBUL

Washington’s unilateral tariffs could negatively impact the economic growth of Southeast Asian nations, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told US State Secretary Marco Rubio on Thursday.

“I conveyed Malaysia’s concern over the 25% import tariff imposed by the US under President Donald Trump’s administration,” Anwar said on X.

“Such unilateral action risks undermining free trade and could negatively impact the economic growth of Southeast Asia, particularly for trading nations like Malaysia,” he added.

Emphasizing the significance of maintaining dialogue to ensure “fair, equitable, and non-discriminatory trade practices,” Anwar said the meeting held with Rubio in Kuala Lumpur marked a “renewed commitment to elevate Malaysia-US ties to the level of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

According to a US State Department statement, Rubio and Anwar agreed to boost cooperation in civil nuclear energy, critical minerals, and advanced tech, including building secure mineral supply chains and safeguarding AI chip technology.

Rubio, who is on his first visit to the region since taking office, said on X: “Malaysia and the United States have a strong partnership rooted in our close economic and security ties.”

On Thursday, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on strategic civil nuclear cooperation.