Macron's strong disapproval over US tariffs sparks call for countermeasures
"Along with the President of the European Commission, France shares the same very strong disapproval at the announcement of horizontal 30 per cent tariffs on EU exports to the United States from August 1st," Macron wrote on X.
He reiterated the need for the Commission to "assert" the bloc's "determination" to uphold European interests "resolutely."
"In particular, this implies speeding up the preparation of credible countermeasures, by mobilising all the instruments at its disposal, including anti-coercion, if no agreement is reached by August 1st," Macron noted.
He further expressed France's "full support" to the negotiations that "will intensify" to reach a mutually acceptable agreement by Aug 1, "reflecting the respect that trading partners like the European Union and the United States owe each other, with their shared interests and integrated value chains."
Earlier, Trump announced that the US will impose 30 per cent tariffs on the EU and Mexico starting Aug 1, putting US-EU trade talks at risk, as the bloc had aimed to finalise a comprehensive trade deal this month.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared separate letters addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, announcing a 30 per cent tariff on goods bound for the US from Europe and Mexico.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen then voiced readiness to work towards an agreement with the US by Aug 1 and vowed to take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
20 minutes ago
- The Star
Trump says he is 'disappointed but not done' with Putin, BBC reports
(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said he was disappointed but not done with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a BBC interview published on Tuesday, hours after Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine and threatened Russia with sanctions. "I'm disappointed in him (Putin), but I'm not done with him. But I'm disappointed in him," Trump told BBC. "We'll have a great conversation. I'll say: 'That's good, I'll think we're close to getting it done,' and then he'll knock down a building in Kyiv," the president added. Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on Monday, and threatened sanctions on buyers of Russian exports unless Russia agrees a peace deal, a major policy shift brought on by frustration with Moscow's ongoing attacks on its neighbor. The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment. (Reporting by Surbhi Misra in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Himani Sarkar)
New Straits Times
24 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Nvidia says it will resume sales of 'H20' AI chips to China
BEIJING: US tech giant Nvidia on Tuesday said it will resume sales of its H20 artificial intelligence chips to China after Washington pledged to ease licensing curbs that had halted exports. The California‑based firm produces advanced semiconductors but cannot ship its cutting-edge chips to China due to concerns Beijing may use them to bolster its military capabilities. It developed the H20 — a less powerful version of its AI processing units — specifically for export to China. However, the plan stalled in April when the Trump administration tightened export licence requirements. The company said in a statement: "It is filing applications to sell the Nvidia H20 GPU again." "The US government has assured Nvidia that licences will be granted, and Nvidia hopes to start deliveries soon," the statement added. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday: "The US government has approved for us (to file) licences to start shipping H20s, and so we will start to sell H20s to the Chinese market." "I'm looking forward to shipping H20s very soon, and so I'm very happy with that very, very good news," Huang, wearing his trademark black leather jacket, told reporters. CCTV reported Huang will attend a major supply‑chain gathering on Wednesday at the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo on July 16. This will be Huang's third trip to China this year, according to CCTV. China is a key market for Nvidia, but in recent years it has faced stiff competition from local players such as homegrown champion Huawei—exacerbated by US export controls. Beijing has criticised Washington's curbs as unfair and designed to hinder its growth. During an April meeting in Beijing with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, Huang said he "looked favourably upon the potential of the Chinese economy" and was "willing to continue to plough deeply into the Chinese market and play a positive role in promoting US‑China trade cooperation," according to state news agency Xinhua. The tightened US export curbs coincided with a slowing Chinese economy, where domestic consumers remained hesitant to spend and a prolonged property‑sector crisis weighed on growth. President Xi Jinping has urged China to become more self‑reliant amid rising external uncertainties. The Financial Times reported in May that Nvidia planned to build a research and development centre in Shanghai, though neither Nvidia nor local authorities confirmed this to AFP. Official Chinese data showed the country's economy grew 5.20 per cent in the second quarter, driven by strong exports despite trade‑war pressures.
The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
Rubio's Asean mission undermined
THE public relations angle on the US Secretary of State's website and Western media's foreign affairs and business coverage of Marco Rubio's recent visit to Southeast Asia was, unsurprisingly, predictable. His mission was to: Reaffirm US commitment to the Indo-Pacific by countering skepticism about President Donald Trump's 'America First' approach and to show that the US views the region as central to American interests and national security; Bolster security ties and boost anti-China sentiment, particularly on the South China Sea disputed issues; Promote the US as an economic partner and a better alternative to China for investment and growth. In his initial remarks on meeting with counterparts from Asean countries, Rubio said: 'We've been engaged for a very long time. We have strong partnerships, we have no intention of abandoning but rather strengthening and building upon.' From most accounts, he was not convincing or successful. Rubio and Trump: Uneasy relationship Everyone in high places of the US foreign affairs knows that Rubio does not have the full confidence or support of Trump for personal reasons. Their rocky relationship goes back a long time with Rubio's denunciations of Trump, prominently displayed during the 2016 Republican presidential primaries. Rubio criticised Trump's foreign policy understanding, calling him a 'touchy and insecure guy', and stating that Trump 'doesn't know anything about policy'. Rubio also quipped: 'You know where Trump would be if he hadn't inherited US$200 million (RM851 million)? Selling watches in Manhattan' and he publicly warned voters, 'friends do not let friends vote for con artists', directly targeting Trump's credibility. Rubio has since eaten humble pie and made peace with Trump. Though rewarded with a powerful position in the US administration, his role has been constrained by competing power centres in Washington, ideological shifts and his own apparent lack of alignment with Trump's agenda. This was evident when Rubio was bypassed for key special envoy roles – with Steve Witkoff appointed as Trump's envoy to the Middle East, tasked with high-stakes negotiations like the Gaza ceasefires and Russia-Ukraine talks – while Rubio was assigned to less challenging assignments. At the same time, key decisions – such as imposing tariffs on allies and publicly rebuking Volodymyr Zelensky – originated from Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Rubio was visibly sidelined during the publicly disastrous Zelensky meeting, where he was described as passive and 'slumped' on a couch throughout the meeting. Mediocre diplomatic appointments Meanwhile, Rubio also appears to have been left in the cold in various ambassadorial appointments made by Trump in the countries that the US wants to see its flag flying higher. This includes the latest appointments in Singapore and Malaysia, with foreign policy analysts from leading US supportive media and independent commentators from social media panning the two nominations. The nominee for Singapore is a former physician specialising in orthopaedics and sports medicine with no prior diplomatic experience while the appointee to Malaysia has been described as a self-proclaimed 'alpha male', with a reputation for courting public attention and engaging in sensationalist behaviour. The primary qualifications Dr Anjani Sinha and Nick Adams bring to their appointments seem to be their unfamiliarity with their assigned countries and their eagerness to put Trump on a pedestal – proving that political sycophancy can be rewarding. Apart from marginalised political and mediocre diplomatic leadership, the biggest obstacle to Rubio's efforts to persuade Southeast Asian governments of the US's good intentions is the widening credibility gap between its rhetoric and actions. This gap is being fuelled by political inconsistencies and economic engagement that treats the region more as a competitor or liability than a partner, all compounded by a fixation on the China threat that overshadows all other concerns. It is telling that just as Rubio tries to reassure Asean countries that the US is an enduring economic partner and a more reliable alternative to China – while hinting at the possibility of better tariff rates – Trump was simultaneously announcing new, enhanced tariffs on several Asean countries, including Malaysia. Asean officials and member countries remember the US's withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership during Trump's first administration as abandoning economic leadership in the region. They are also fully aware that the US's focus is not on Southeast Asia but on other regions and global crises, and that Asean is only a concern when countering China as the immediate goal. Foreign policy and economic interests Rubio's staff would do well to advise him of the following concerns of Asean countries when reviewing the outcome of his shortened time in Southeast Asia and before pitching any future policy: 0 Asean nations do not want to be used as pawns in a great power game that they see as contrary to their multipolarity principles. 0 Asean values its 'centrality'. US-led initiatives such as the Quad and Aukus are not only not helpful but also pose a threat to this centrality. 0 Asean nations will act strongly to safeguard their autonomy and non-alignment. US pressure for member countries to 'choose sides' between the US and China is counter-productive, will not bring about peace or security and will be rebuffed. 0 Asean wants a partnership, not alignment, against a neighbour that is also their largest trading partner. Finally, they should note that Asean foreign and economic ministers will be closely following the US-initiated global trade war and new uncertainties in the international economic landscape and rules of order. Rubio should use whatever influence he has on Trump and his colleagues in the US administration to emphasise that the unilateral action relating to tariffs and bullying efforts to 'rebalance' trade relationships at the expense of Asean countries will have a lasting negative impact on US-Asean relations.
