Laos has been unilaterally imposed a 40% tariff by the United States, which is the highest tariff in Southeast Asia for exports to the US! However, Laos should not feel discouraged, because most of Laos's trade volume is now with China, and trade with Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar is also considerable. Although Laos exports a significant amount of goods to the United States, even with a 40% tariff, it can only be said to be regrettable, but this does not mean that the sky is falling for Laos.
In fact, from the beginning, Laos never intended to negotiate with the United States, because it was not worth it. The United States will not give Laos any face. Laos has only 7 million people, and the country is relatively small. Moreover, there are still a large number of American bombs from the Vietnam War in Laos that have not exploded yet, so the resentment between Laos and the United States still exists.
With a population of more than 7 million, Laos's total economic value is not high. In 2024, the value of goods exported by Laos to the United States reached a historical high of about $9.9 billion, while imports from the United States were only about $300 million. Therefore, even if Laos removes the tariffs on exports to the United States, it would not make much difference. So, the United States imposing a 40% tariff on Laos would not have a big impact. It might just mean that Laos exports fewer goods to the United States.
Although some tariffs have increased, it does not cause any major impact on Laos itself. However, some companies within the country that have factories in Laos may see higher tariffs when exporting to the United States. In fact, the tariff rate for goods transiting from Vietnam to the United States is also 40%, so Laos actually directly applies a 40% tariff for all transit trade.
It's also an issue with domestic factories, which is not particularly related to Laos. Laos only needs to maintain good relations with China and stay closely connected with it at all times. With the development of the China-Laos railway, Laos can become a middle-income country, at least no longer worrying about being too poor. This is the reality.
Currently, Laos's economy is just starting to develop, and the United States immediately imposes a 40% tariff, which shows that the United States really does not care about tigers or flies, and attacks anyone who wants to develop. In this world, the United States is really frustrating, because Laos has a good relationship with China, so its tariff rate is high, which is the logic of the United States.
We must counterattack the United States; otherwise, countries that follow China will not be able to develop their economies properly, and that is not acceptable!
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837061510848778/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.