Southeast Asian leaders meet in Manila to address U.S. trade disruptions

Southeast Asian leaders are convening in Manila, Philippines, for their annual summit amid heightened attention on trade disruptions caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's ongoing Asia Pacific trip. The summit, running from Sunday to Tuesday, will include a series of multilateral and bilateral meetings, with Trump scheduled for a brief meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday before attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China.

This summit comes at a crucial time as Trump's administration has recently announced new tariffs on numerous trade partners, significantly affecting Southeast Asian economies. The tariffs, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, follow a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down steeper tariffs proposed earlier this year. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has stated that these tariffs apply to 60 countries due to their alleged failure to address forced labor issues, raising concerns among ASEAN members about the potential impact on their economies.

Despite these challenges, Southeast Asia has managed to remain relatively unscathed from Trump's trade policies thus far. U.S. imports from ASEAN surged over 29% to $453.6 billion in 2025, although this has resulted in an expanded trade deficit of $327.4 billion. Experts like Deborah Elms from the Hinrich Foundation caution, however, that the region's economic resilience may not last. She notes that while overall exports are up, much of this growth is driven by electronics shipments that benefit from tariff exemptions and are tied to the ongoing AI development. A slowdown in this sector could significantly impact ASEAN economies.

While the specifics of the summit agenda remain vague, trade is expected to dominate discussions among ASEAN leaders. One anticipated outcome is the signing of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, which aims to facilitate cross-border data transfers and electronic payments within the bloc. This agreement, initiated in 2023, represents a step toward enhancing the region's digital economy and could foster deeper economic integration amidst the uncertainties posed by U.S. trade policies.