Concern is growing across Southeast Asia as U.S. officials, focused on slowing China’s rise, have yet to clarify how they will define the country of origin for imports.

This lack of clear guidelines is raising uncertainty among businesses and trade partners in the region, who rely heavily on export markets and well-defined trade policies.

As tensions between the U.S. and China continue to influence global trade dynamics, Southeast Asian countries are closely watching for official definitions and regulations that will impact their economies and supply chains.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/25/business/trump-tariffs-southeast-asia-transshipment.html