Asian Economies Weigh Impact of Trump Tariff Loss

US trading partners in Asia began assessing fresh uncertainties after President Donald Trump vowed to impose a new tariff on imports, hours after the US Supreme Court struck down many of the sweeping levies he had used to launch a global trade war, Selena Li and Ben Blanchard reported for Reuters.

Trump said he would impose a new 10% duty on US imports from all countries for an initial 150 days under a different law.

The court’s ruling invalidated several tariffs imposed on Asian export powerhouses, including China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan — a key player in global technology supply chains and home to the world’s largest contract chipmaker.

Within hours, Trump said he would impose a new 10% duty on US imports from all countries starting Tuesday for an initial 150 days under a different law.

Analysts warned that additional measures could follow, adding further uncertainty for businesses and investors.

In Japan, a government spokesperson said Tokyo “will carefully examine the content of this ruling and the Trump administration’s response to it, and respond appropriately.”

China, which is preparing to host Trump in late March, has yet to issue a formal response and is currently observing an extended holiday. However, a senior financial official in China-ruled Hong Kong described the US situation as a “fiasco.”

Christopher Hui, Hong Kong’s secretary for financial services and the treasury, said Trump’s new levy underscores Hong Kong’s “unique trade advantages.”

“This shows the stability of Hong Kong’s policies and our certainty … it shows global investors the importance of predictability,” Hui said at a media briefing Saturday when asked how the new US tariffs would affect the city’s economy.