US trade partners eye talks after Trump tariff blitz

President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on March 31, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] Major US trade partners pilloried US President Donald Trump's global tariffs onslaught on Thursday, but left the door open to negotiations as markets tumbled over fears his trade war would damage the world economy. Trump spared almost no nation on his "Liberation Day" on Wednesday, hitting friends and foes alike and reserving some of the harshest tariffs for major trade partners, including the European Union and China. Countries across the world reacted swiftly, with China demanding that the tariffs be "immediately cancelled" and vowing "countermeasures". France and Germany warned that the EU could hit US tech firms operating in Europe with a tax. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Europe was "prepared to respond" to the tariffs, calling them a "major blow to the world economy". But the 27-nation EU and other countries also showed willingness to negotiate as they refrained from immediate retaliatory tariffs, with almost a week until the harsher US measures take effect. Beijing said it was "maintaining communication" with Washington over trade issues, and EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic planned to speak with US counterparts on Friday. "Unjustified tariffs inevitably backfire," Sefcovic posted on X. "We'll act in a calm, carefully phased, unified way, as we calibrate our response, while allowing adequate time for talks. But we won't stand idly by, should we be unable to reach a fair deal," he added. The tariff announcements rattled stock markets while safe haven gold hit a new record high, oil prices fell and the dollar slumped against other major currencies. In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei closed 2.8 percent lower after paring back bigger losses. Hanoi shares dropped more than seven percent after Vietnam was targeted with tariffs of 46 percent. Europe's main stock markets were down sharply in afternoon trading, while US futures plummeted. "Stocks are down around the world but these are not traditional panic moves, suggesting that there is still some expectation that deals can be cut to reduce some of the impact from tariffs," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB trading platform. Trump reserved some of the heaviest blows for what he called "nations that treat us badly." That included an additional 34 percent on goods from China -- bringing the new added tariff rate there to 54 percent. The figure for the European Union was 20 percent, and 24 percent on Japan, whose trade minister called the tariffs "extremely regrettable". For the rest, Trump said he would impose a "baseline" tariff of 10 percent, including another key ally, Britain, which will come into effect on Saturday while the higher duties will kick in on April 9. Separate tariffs of 25 percent on all foreign-made cars and light trucks also went into effect, with auto parts due to be hit by May 3. 'Catastrophe' for economy US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned against countermeasures, saying on Fox News: "If you retaliate, there will be escalation." Germany said "everything was on the table" as it joined France in saying the EU could tax US tech giants. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose country is a major exporter of cars to the United States, called the US tariffs "fundamentally wrong" but said Europe was open to further talks. Britain escaped relatively lightly after a diplomatic offensive, though Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned there would still be an "economic impact" from the 10 percent tariff. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the tariffs are "not the act of a friend" but he said his country, which was also hit with the lower end of duties, would not retaliate. Some of the hardest-hit trading partners were in Asia, including 49 percent for Cambodia, 46 percent for Vietnam and 44 percent for military-ruled Myanmar, recently rattled by a devastating earthquake. Russia was not affected because it is already facing sanctions over the Ukraine war "which preclude any meaningful trade", a White House official said. Certain goods like copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, lumber and gold will not be subject to the tariffs. Canada and Mexico are not affected by the new levies as Trump has already punished them for what he says is their failure to stymie drug trafficking and illegal immigration. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Trump's duties "fundamentally change the global trading system". 'Make America wealthy again' Trump made his announcement in the White House Rose Garden, holding a chart of the sweeping measures. An audience of cabinet members, as well as workers in hard hats from industries including steel, oil and gas, cheered as Trump promised tariffs would "make America wealthy again". "For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike," Trump said. Trump labelled Wednesday's tariffs "reciprocal" but many experts say his administration's estimates for levies placed on US imports by other countries are wildly exaggerated. The US president had telegraphed the move for weeks, sparking fears of a recession at home as costs are passed on to domestic consumers. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said the tariffs were a "catastrophe" for the world economy but also "for the United States and for American citizens".

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