South and Southeast Asian economies, once beneficiaries of US-China trade tensions, now face some of the world’s steepest tariffs under US President Donald Trump’s expanded protectionist agenda.

As reported by CNN, the new measures include country specific tariffs of around 19–20% on key manufacturing hubs such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bangladesh, and up to 40% on Laos and Myanmar. A further 40% levy targets so called “transshipments,” a move widely seen as aimed at Chinese-linked goods routed through third countries. Analysts warn these historically high rates could disrupt regional supply chains, dampen exports, and increase costs for American consumers.