The bloc will look for new markets and deepen regional cooperation to reduce trade uncertainty, economic ministers say
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenSam BeltranPublished: 10:00am, 16 Mar 2026As trade tensions and new US tariff investigations rattle global supply chains, Southeast Asian economies are looking to broaden their options, but analysts say the region’s deep links with the US and China mean any shift will be gradual rather than a clean break.
“We will continue to work closely with industry stakeholders and external and development partners to strengthen and sustain business and investors’ confidence in Asean, while further reinforcing regional supply chains through the implementation of relevant and binding Asean agreements,” they said in a statement from the Asean Economic Ministers’ Retreat in Manila on Friday.
The bloc was pushing for the timely ratification and implementation of an upgraded Asean trade agreement that would allow greater concessions for goods traded among member states, as well as the signing of a framework that would “support deeper digital integration, trusted cross-border data flows, and greater participation in the regional digital economy”, they said.
