President Donald Trump finalized trade agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia and advanced new trade frameworks with Thailand and Vietnam—moves that the administration says will strengthen both U.S. economic competitiveness and national security.
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer announced the progress on Oct. 26, highlighting the administration’s push for reciprocal market access and reduced trade barriers across the region.
“These landmark deals demonstrate that America can maintain tariffs to shrink the goods trade deficit while opening new markets for American farmers, ranchers, workers, and manufacturers,” Greer said. He also praised officials from Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam for their “collaboration and commitment in achieving a more balanced trade relationship with the United States.”
Meat industry reacts
For the U.S. beef sector—which is facing high input costs, processing challenges and limited access to China—these agreements could represent a turning point.
U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom said that expanded access to Southeast Asia is essential to herd rebuilding and profitability.
“With the U.S. beef industry currently lacking access to China, improved access to Southeast Asia is desperately needed to provide competing bids for beef cuts that are popular in Asia, but not demanded by American consumers,” Halstrom said. “Exports of short plate, chuck short rib, rib fingers, omasum and other such items are critical to maximizing the value of every animal.” The Meat Institute also strongly praised the trade agreements. President and CEO Julie Anna Potts said the agreements mark significant progress after years of advocacy.
“We are so grateful to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer and Assistant USTR for Agricultural Affairs Julie Callahan for their hard work to address both tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade that have been challenging meat and poultry exports for years,” Potts said. “We have worked closely with the Trump administration to gain better access to growing markets in Southeast Asia and these agreements are a big win for our members.”
Potts added that securing protections for common meat product names in Malaysia and Cambodia—and ensuring similar provisions with Thailand and Vietnam—is essential as negotiations continue.
Malaysia deal
USTR reported in a fact sheet that under the Malaysia agreement, U.S. exporters gain preferential access across a wide range of products, including dairy, horticultural goods, poultry, pork, rice, fuel ethanol and critical manufacturing sectors such as machinery and electronics. Malaysia further agreed to recognize U.S. food safety systems, streamline halal certification and open its market to U.S. sorghum, strengthening opportunities for American farmers.
According to the USMEF, Malaysia’s beef market imported $584 million worth of product in the first eight months of the year, including $70 million from Australia. The U.S., by comparison, exported practically zero beef during that time due to market access barriers. USMEF expects the numbers to shift significantly, as all USDA-inspected U.S. beef and pork facilities will now be eligible for export to Malaysia.
The agreement is particularly welcomed by sorghum producers. National Sorghum Producers Chair Amy France said the deal represents meaningful progress.
“We appreciate President Trump’s recognition of the importance of Southeast Asian markets for U.S. agriculture and commend the administration’s work to expand market access in the region,” France said. “We especially welcome Malaysia’s commitment to include U.S. sorghum and look forward to future agreements that build on this progress and strengthen opportunities for American farmers.”
An additional focus of the deal is on developing critical minerals and rare-earth partnerships. Both nations pledged coordination on supply chain protection, labor standards and confronting global distortions in steel markets.
Cambodia agreement
The Cambodian deal mirrors many key provisions, eliminating tariffs on all U.S. exports and clearing regulatory barriers that previously limited U.S. meat, dairy and agricultural sales. Cambodia will also strengthen labor protections and environmental regulations while addressing subsidies to state-owned enterprises.
USMEF said the country imported $11.8 million in beef in the first eight months of the year, with Australia accounting for nearly half of those sales and the U.S. capturing only about $1 million. USMEF anticipates that with duty-free access and greater certainty on sanitary and phytosanitary rules, importers expect immediate growth in demand for U.S. products.
The agreement also obligates Cambodia to enforce stronger labor standards, safeguard the environment and address state-owned enterprise subsidies—steps that U.S. negotiators say will help create a fairer competitive landscape for American companies.
Thailand, Vietnam frameworks
The administration also announced new frameworks for future reciprocal trade agreements with Thailand and Vietnam—two of the U.S.’ fastest-growing but most imbalanced trade relationships.
Thailand has already committed to eliminating tariffs on 99% of U.S. goods, including feed corn, soybean meal, distillers’ grains and manufactured products. A major agricultural commercial package, estimated at $2.6 billion annually, accompanies the framework.
The Vietnamese framework similarly promises the removal of tariffs on nearly all U.S. exports, improving access for peaches, nectarines, specialty cheeses and meat products. Vietnam also agreed to permit remanufactured goods and advance intellectual property and digital trade reforms.
The U.S. ran a $123.5 billion deficit in total goods trade with Vietnam in 2024, one of its largest. USTR said the final negotiations aim to lock in benefits for American farmers, ranchers and manufacturers alike.
USMEF noted that while Thailand has imported $227 million worth of beef so far this year, only $2.9 million has come from the U.S. due to a 50% tariff disadvantage. In Vietnam, beef imports reached $668 million in the first eight months of the year. Still, just $22 million originated from the U.S., with Australia and Canada benefiting from preferential tariffs.
With agreements finalized in Malaysia and Cambodia and frameworks advancing with Thailand and Vietnam, the administration sees momentum building for stronger two-way trade throughout Southeast Asia. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
