Three major allies plan urgent talks as trade tensions heat up between America and Asia. South Korea, the United States and Japan will meet Friday during a big gathering in Malaysia. Top diplomats from all three countries want to hash out problems with steep new tariffs and regional security threats. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will sit down with South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. The meeting marks the first major diplomatic session since South Korea got its new government in June.
President Trump has hit both Asian nations with tough new trade rules that could hurt their economies badly. Both South Korea and Japan face 25 percent taxes on goods they send to America starting August 1. Trump sent letters to leaders in both countries warning them about the tariff hikes. The president pushed back his original deadline from July 9 after a three-month break. South Korean officials are working hard to avoid or reduce the damage from these trade penalties.
The three countries also plan to talk about dangerous developments in their neighborhood. North Korea has been getting closer to Russia militarily while China acts more aggressively in the region. The diplomats last met in Brussels during April for similar discussions. They issued a joint statement back then warning against actions that threaten peace around Taiwan. The allies also want to work together on energy and shipbuilding projects that Trump has identified as key areas for cooperation.
President Trump has hit both Asian nations with tough new trade rules that could hurt their economies badly. Both South Korea and Japan face 25 percent taxes on goods they send to America starting August 1. Trump sent letters to leaders in both countries warning them about the tariff hikes. The president pushed back his original deadline from July 9 after a three-month break. South Korean officials are working hard to avoid or reduce the damage from these trade penalties.
The three countries also plan to talk about dangerous developments in their neighborhood. North Korea has been getting closer to Russia militarily while China acts more aggressively in the region. The diplomats last met in Brussels during April for similar discussions. They issued a joint statement back then warning against actions that threaten peace around Taiwan. The allies also want to work together on energy and shipbuilding projects that Trump has identified as key areas for cooperation.
