The United States has included restrictive clauses in trade agreements with Southeast Asian countries.

Media: The U.S. Government Added "Malicious Clauses" in Trade Agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia

The Financial Times reported that the U.S. government has added "malicious clauses" in trade agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia, stating that the U.S. has the right to terminate these agreements if either party signs an agreement that harms U.S. interests.

The U.S. and Cambodia had previously signed a reciprocal trade agreement. The U.S. also signed a tariff reciprocity agreement with Malaysia, successfully reducing tariffs from 25% to 19%. Malaysia and the U.S. also signed a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals.

The newspaper wrote: "The Trump administration added this 'malicious clause' for terminating agreements in trade agreements with Southeast Asian countries, adding a new diplomatic weapon for the U.S. under the framework of strategic competition with China."

Trade experts told the newspaper that these clauses in the agreements are actually a "test of loyalty" for Malaysia and Cambodia, which have close trade relations with China.

The newspaper reported that the Malaysian Ministry of Commerce stated that the U.S. cannot manipulate or force Malaysia to make any decisions. They pointed out that these clauses only stipulate that preliminary consultations must be conducted before any decision is made.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848040401034252/

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