US trade with Southeast Asia and Taiwan surging despite Trump tariffs

Al JazeeraCenterEN 6 min read 100% complete by Erin HaleJanuary 21, 2026 at 06:18 AM

US trade with Southeast Asia and Taiwan surging despite Trump tariffs

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long article 6 min

In 2025, despite President Trump's tariffs aimed at reducing the US trade deficit, trade with Southeast Asia and Taiwan surged. While Chinese exports to the US fell by 20% due to tariffs averaging 47.5%, US demand shifted to other manufacturing hubs. Preliminary trade data indicates the overall US trade deficit decreased, but the tariffs primarily rearranged supply chains rather than reducing dependence on Asia. The shift occurred because US customers sought products from alternative locations, highlighting the adaptability of global trade. The situation developed throughout 2025 following the implementation of "reciprocal tariffs" in April.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Peterson Institute for International Economics 30% Singapore 30% Beijing 30% Phnom Penh 40% Nam Leng 40% Cambodia 40% Xi Jinping 40% Taiwan 50% Southeast Asia 60% China ×470% United States ×1180% Donald Trump ×490%

Keywords

us trade 90% tariffs 80% trade deficit 70% china 70% supply chains 60% southeast asia 60% manufacturing 50% exports 50% trade policy 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: -0.10

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Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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us trade tariffs trade deficit china supply chains southeast asia manufacturing exports trade policy

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