Cambodia
US President Donald Trump has fired the biggest shot in his war on foreign trade practices, unveiling massive tariffs that will hit Cambodia (49 per cent), Vietnam (46 per cent) and China (34 per cent) the hardest. The White House is calling it a “historic victory” for American workers, while critics warn it could spark a global trade war and push the US toward higher prices, job losses and even an economic recession.
"Foreign leaders have stolen our jobs. Foreign crooks have seized our factories. And foreign scavengers have torn apart our beautiful American dream," he said, adding, "Today it stops. Today we take back control."
While China has long been Trump's top trade target, Cambodia and Vietnam are now in an unexpected phase, and the White House says Beijing is to blame.
Cambodia and Vietnam: China's secret weapon?
The White House has accused Beijing of using these countries as fronts in a massive tax evasion operation, funnelling goods through them to avoid U.S. penalties. Now Trump is hitting back harder than ever.
Senior administration officials said the two countries are acting as logistics hubs - meaning China is moving goods through these countries to avoid U.S. tariffs.
"For every dollar we sell to Cambodia, they sell us $39. And the reason Cambodia sells us all that is because China is using it to collect our taxes," the official said.
Is this the end of free trade in Cambodia?
For decades, the US has championed free and open trade, pushing countries to lower tariffs and eliminate trade barriers. But Trump is rewriting the rules, embracing economic nationalism and calling for a self-sufficient America.
Vice President JD Vance, a key architect of Trump’s trade policies, also made it clear that the administration rejects traditional economic theories about global trade.
"The idea that design and manufacturing can be separated is simply wrong. We must bring the entire supply chain back to the US," Vance added. .
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