What Do the US Forced Labour Tariffs Mean for Southeast Asia?

US government seeks to impose tariffs on countries allegedly tied to forced labor

Section 301 hearing is planned for July 7; deadline for written comments is July 6 WASHINGTON — In what could be a further challenge to the industry’s reliance on global trade, the Trump administration is considering imposing additional tariffs on countries that it believes have not taken steps to reduce forced labor. Earlier this month, the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced that the initiative potentially impacts some 6…

What Do the US Forced Labour Tariffs Mean for Southeast Asia?

The US Trade Representative recently announced the initial results of its Section 301 investigation into forced labour practices involving 60 economies.  The investigation concluded that all economies under review had failed to adequately prevent the importation of products made by forced labour, and proposed a two-tiered tariff system of 10 per cent and 12.5 per cent. The wide, 60-economy scope of the investigation captures most major trading p…