INTERACTIVE: What you need to know about Asean’s exports to the US, in 5 charts

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI

PETALING JAYA: Countries from around the world are seeking to negotiate a deal with Washington within the 90-day pause of higher tariffs announced by the US, and South-East Asia is no exception.

The 90-day pause, which started on April 9, is scheduled to end in early July.

Asean is negotiating US tariffs with a mix of individual country efforts and a focus on regional coordination.

To find out how much Asean collectively exports to the US and identify its top exports, The Star pored over figures from various sources.

They include the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Trade Map, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), US Census Bureau and media reports.

Some figures vary by source, but they all indicate that the US heavily relies on imports from South-East Asia for a wide variety of goods ranging from electrical machinery to furniture.

Below are five charts explaining Asean’s trade with the US.
 

Asean’s 10-member countries exported a combined total of US$358.56bil worth of goods to the US last year, according to the ITC Trade Map.

The 27 country European Union was first, followed by Mexico, China, and Canada.

The ITC Trade Map’s figures show that exports from Asean made up 10.67% of the US’ total imports of US$3.36tril.

The USTR website meanwhile cites a lower figure for Asean’s exports to the US, which it said stood at US$352.3bil last year.

It said that goods imports from Asean to the US went up by 13.3% last year compared to 2023.

Vietnam was Asean’s largest exporter to the US last year, delivering goods valued at US$142.48bil, according to the ITC Trade Map.

Its figures indicate Malaysia is Asean's third largest exporter to the US.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told a special Dewan Rakyat sitting on May 5 that Malaysia’s exports to the US stood at RM199bil in 2024.

Anwar said that exports to the US made up 13% of Malaysia’s total exports.
 

Electrical machinery and equipment is the top category of goods exported by Asean to the US.

Industrial machinery is second, followed mechanical appliances and components.

The ITC Trade Map’s figures show that Malaysia is Asean’s second biggest exporter of electrical machinery and equipment to the US after Vietnam.

Last year, Malaysia shipped US$28.43bil worth of electrical machinery and equipment to the US, while Vietnam exported US$42.57bil.
 

Electrical machinery and equipment were the main exports from six Asean countries to the US, namely Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, and Laos.

Singapore’s main export to the US is pharmaceutical products while Cambodia’s main exports to America comprises of apparel and clothing accessories.
 

Some Asean countries lead the region in terms of its US exports for certain types of goods.

Thailand, for example, is the regional leader in terms of car exports to the US, shipping US$2.59bil of vehicles to America last year.

Malaysia meanwhile leads in the export of aircraft parts to the US, which stood at US$0.45bil in 2024.

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