Trump Signs Trade Agreements in Asia
During his recent visit to Asia, President Donald Trump finalized trade agreements with significant partners to tackle trade imbalances and explore alternative supply chains, especially as China clamps down on rare earth exports.
On October 26, 2025, Trump presided over the signing of a peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, which also coincided with the 13th ASEAN-United States Summit. This agreement addressed previous tensions between the two countries over a border dispute earlier in the year.
“I’m proud to help settle this conflict on behalf of the U.S. and to pave the way for a cooperative future in the region,” Trump remarked during the signing ceremony, flanked by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
After the ceremonial signing, the president also inked trade deals with Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
These agreements involved Cambodia eliminating all tariffs on U.S. goods, while Thailand consented to waive tariffs on 99% of U.S. imports. The U.S. similarly struck a deal with Vietnam but maintained a 19% tariff on goods from all four countries.
“These significant agreements show that America can uphold tariffs to reduce the trade deficit while opening new markets for American workers, farmers, and manufacturers,” commented U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. He expressed gratitude to the representatives from Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam for their commitment to achieving a more balanced trade relationship with the U.S.
In addition, the U.S. secured agreements on critical minerals, aiming to lessen its dependency on Chinese rare earth elements following China’s decision to tighten those exports. China is currently the leading producer of these resources, which are essential in technology and military applications.
As part of the deals, Malaysia agreed not to impose any quotas on the export of critical minerals, thereby allowing the U.S. access to vital resources. However, it wasn’t specified whether this covered raw or processed rare earth substances, even though Malaysia holds approximately 16.1 million tons of these deposits.
The agreements also grant the U.S. preferential access to a range of products, including chemicals, machinery, passenger vehicles, and agricultural goods like dairy and poultry.
On top of that, Thailand agreed to eliminate tariffs on nearly all goods. Furthermore, all three nations committed to enhancing protections for both the environment and labor rights.
Trade was, and remains, a central topic in Trump’s discussions with the president of Brazil, as well as a forthcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping before he heads back to the U.S. on October 30th.
