Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held talks with the leaders of Malaysia and France on Wednesday to discuss the potential impact of the ongoing tariff war between the US and China on the global economy and multilateral trade.
In a phone call with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister Ishiba expressed his desire to hear the views of Southeast Asian countries ahead of upcoming tariff negotiations with the United States, according to a Japanese government statement. In his talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and French President Emmanuel Macron, Ishiba discussed in detail a wide range of economic issues, including the economic impact of the US tariffs and China’s retaliatory measures. In the context of US President Donald Trump’s commitment to pursue his protectionist “America First” policy, Ishiba emphasized the importance of preserving a free and open global order based on the rule of law.
