Kuala Lumpur, June 13 -- With the US's 90-day suspension on reciprocal tariffs set to expire on July 9, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is ramping up negotiations with Washington while seeking to coordinate a unified stance within the bloc to respond to shifting US trade policies.

According to the International Trade Centre (ITC), the US remains heavily reliant on imports from Southeast Asia, with total trade valued at 358.56 billion USD in 2024. This figure accounts for 10.67% of total US imports, which stood at 3.36 trillion USD, and represents a 13.3% increase from 2023.

ASEAN is now the fourth-largest exporter to the US, following the European Union, Mexico, China, and Canada.

Among ASEAN members, Vietnam led in ...