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President Donald Trump is going ahead with new double-digit tariffs on dozens of US trading partners just as the clock runs out on Friday on stopgap levies he imposed after a stinging defeat at the Supreme Court.
Trump’s latest set of tariff hikes drew objections on Friday from America’s trading partners including China and Japan, with Australia’s trade minister slamming them as “completely unjustified.”
The administration announced extra tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on 60 economies late on Thursday, saying the countries had failed to adequately enforce a ban on goods made with forced labour.
Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell rejected claims linking Australia, a major exporter of beef, gold and copper, to modern slavery.
“We believe that amongst all of the countries in the world Australia does take the issue of slavery, modern slavery, seriously, and will continue to do that,” Farrell told reporters in Adelaide.
Japan also protested the 12.5% tariff imposed on its exports, noting Tokyo had been reassured by the Trump administration that there would be no more tariffs on top of an earlier agreement on a 10% US import duty.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the tariffs on his country, also subject to a 12.5% import duty, were “extremely disappointing,” unjustified and harmful to trade.
A US investigation serving as the basis for the tariffs did not provide meaningful evidence to support allegations of forced labor.
“Tariffs are not the way — they drive up costs and uncertainty for businesses,” he wrote on X.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas questioned the US stance in comments on Channel News Asia.
“If you compare our labour laws to the ones of the United States, I mean we have, people have paid vacations, we have very good conditions, labour conditions for our employees, so it’s not really grounded,” Kallas said.
Also facing a 12.5% tariff, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, which reiterated its stance of not condoning the use of forced labour, said it would “continue to engage the USTR (United States Trade Representative) to explore options.”
South Korea said it will maintain close communication with the United States to preserve a mutual “balance of benefits.”
South Korea’s trade ministry said the announcement eased some uncertainty over US trade policy, but noted that a Section 301 investigation into alleged Korean excess production continues.
Associated Press
