US President Trump plans to use tariffs to restore manufacturing jobs lost to lower-wage countries and reduce the national debt. Economists warn that tariffs could lead to higher prices on consumer products, affecting American families. The US is set to begin talks with another nation this weekend, despite concerns about the impact of tariffs on businesses and consumers.
https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/nation/global-trade-reorder-begins-in-trump-deal-with-united-kingdom/article_c2e13e1f-229e-5ef9-bf2c-e075f7ae5e2e.htmlThe UK and Indonesia have agreed to strengthen their strategic partnership, with a focus on economic growth and environmental sustainability. The launch of a new project in Riau province marks this commitment, which was made by President Prabowo Subianto and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during their meeting in the UK last year. The project aims to promote sustainable forest management and reduce carbon emissions, following extensive deforestation and degradation in the region. Indonesia's Riau province has lost 2.8 million hectares of forest since 1990, but is now adopting high-integrity global forest carbon market standards, a model that could be replicated by other countries.
https://en.tempo.co/read/2005012/indonesia-launches-green-for-riau-initiative-to-advance-forest-and-peatlands-conservationUS President Donald Trump initially announced near universal tariffs on April 2, but later partially retreated and plans to negotiate individual agreements with countries like China, Canada, Mexico, and the UK over the next few months. However, no deals have been reached with America's largest trading partners, leaving tariffs in place on China, which has sparked a confrontation between the US and China. Talks are set to take place in Switzerland this weekend between Washington and Beijing officials.
https://apnews.com/article/us-uk-trump-starmer-trade-deal-79d55b8ade0dd8c9265ada9400d079dbThe US and UK have reached a trade deal that maintains a 10% tariff on most UK imports to the US, while lifting duties on steel and aluminum. The agreement also reduces Trump's tariffs on UK automobile imports to 10% for up to 100,000 vehicles per year.
https://globalnews.ca/news/11170883/donald-trump-tariffs-uk-trade-deal-canada/Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Putin have strengthened their countries' strategic partnership, citing historical ties and mutual benefits. The two leaders emphasized the importance of international fairness and justice. China has provided diplomatic support to Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while Russia relies on China for essential machinery and electronics due to Western sanctions.
https://globalnews.ca/news/11170187/russia-ukraine-attacks-ceasefire/Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed concerns about US unilateralism during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that such actions can lead to instability and undermine global governance. The talks took place in Beijing, where Xi emphasized the need for international cooperation and respect for sovereignty. This comes as tensions between the US and China have been escalating over trade and security issues.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250508/p2g/00m/0in/046000cASEAN faces significant challenges in countering a global trade war if its anchor state, Singapore, remains economically fragile. The region's efforts to implement the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) and Asean Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) are being hindered by external crises. For instance, Indonesia's economic struggles have impacted regional cooperation on environmental issues. ASEAN must diversify its trade relationships and strengthen its institutions to mitigate the effects of a global trade war.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/what-you-think/2025/05/08/india-pakistan-tensions-are-tearing-at-aseans-strategic-core-phar-kim-beng/175960Malaysia is set to host Asean meetings amid high-stakes US-China trade talks in Switzerland this weekend. The summit aims to unite Asean nations against "excessive tariffs" and follows progress made on finalizing an Asean-China free trade deal. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington is negotiating with 17 major trading partners, including China's top trading partner Saudi Arabia, as part of efforts to isolate China economically.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/05/08/china-premier-li-qiang-set-for-malaysia-visit-end-may-as-beijing-rallies-asean-gcc-bloc-against-us-tariffs/176021US President Trump imposed tariffs on US trading partners last month but temporarily froze most of them to facilitate trade deal negotiations. He claimed countries were lining up for deals with the US, but a trade agreement with Britain remains unclear. Britain recently struck a free trade agreement with India, its largest since leaving the EU in 2020, after negotiations resumed following US tariff threats.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/trump-trade-deal-with-uk/article69551850.ece