US closes trade agreements with Southeast Asian countries

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the White House announced trade agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia on October 26, 2025, and Joint Declarations with Vietnam and Thailand. The agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia will enter into force 60 days after the exchange of letters indicating the completion of all internal legal processes. For Vietnam and Thailand, it is only a matter of publishing the Joint Declarations, with the details still to be negotiated/agreed upon. The ASEAN region is more important than ever for the U.S. as an alternative market to China, especially for pork products. American pork currently holds only a small share of imports in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia due to a combination of tariff and non-tariff barriers. The potential for growth is significant when these barriers are overcome. Malaysia imported $188 million in pork in the first eight months of the year, including $11.5 million from the U.S., while the EU held ...