---
title: "Asian economies weigh impact of fresh Trump tariff moves, confusion"
description: "Asian economies are assessing the implications of President Trump's announcement to impose a new 10% global import tariff following a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated previous tariffs. Countries "
type: "news"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/276506619.md"
published_at: "2026-02-21T07:36:31.000Z"
---

# Asian economies weigh impact of fresh Trump tariff moves, confusion

> Asian economies are assessing the implications of President Trump's announcement to impose a new 10% global import tariff following a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated previous tariffs. Countries like Japan and Taiwan are monitoring the situation closely, with analysts predicting further tariff measures could follow. The ruling significantly reduces the average U.S. tariff, but confusion remains as nations prepare for potential new levies. Hong Kong's financial secretary emphasized the region's trade advantages amid the uncertainty, while Taiwan is maintaining communication with the U.S. to navigate the evolving trade landscape.

Trump vows to impose new 10% global import levy on Tuesday

Japan, Taiwan, other exporters cautiously monitoring impact

Analysts say more Trump responses likely after court loss

By Selena Li and Ben Blanchard

HONG KONG/TAIPEI, Feb 21 (Reuters) - U.S. trading partners in Asia started weighing fresh uncertainties on Saturday after President Donald Trump vowed to impose a new tariff on imports, hours after the Supreme Court struck down many of the sweeping levies he used to launch a global trade war.

The court’s ruling invalidated a number of tariffs that the Trump administration had imposed on Asian export powerhouses from China and South Korea to Japan and Taiwan, the world’s largest chip maker and a key player in tech supply chains.

Within hours, Trump said he would impose a new 10% duty on U.S. imports from all countries starting on Tuesday for an initial 150 days under a different law, prompting analysts to warn that more measures could follow, threatening more confusion for businesses and investors.

In Japan, a government spokesman said Tokyo “will carefully examine the content of this ruling and the Trump administration’s response to it, and respond appropriately.”

China, which is preparing to host Trump in late March, has yet to formally comment or launch any counter moves with the country on an extended holiday. But a senior financial official in China-ruled Hong Kong described the U.S. situation as a “fiasco”.

Christopher Hui, Hong Kong’s secretary for financial services and the treasury, Trump’s new levy served to underscore Hong Kong’s “unique trade advantages”, Hui said.

“This shows the stability of Hong Kong’s policies and our certainty … it shows global investors the importance of predictability,” Hui said at a media briefing on Saturday when asked how the new U.S. tariff’s would affect the city’s economy.

Hong Kong operates as a separate customs territory from mainland China, a status that has shielded it from direct exposure to U.S. tariffs targeting Chinese goods.

While Washington has imposed duties on mainland exports, Hong Kong-made products have generally faced lower tariff rates, allowing the city to maintain trade flows even as Sino-U.S. tensions escalated.

Before the Supreme Court’s ruling, Trump’s tariff push had strained Washington’s diplomatic relations across Asia, particularly for export-reliant economies integrated into U.S.-bound supply chains.

Friday’s ruling concerns only the tariffs launched by Trump on the basis of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, intended for national emergencies.

Trade policy monitor Global Trade Alert estimated that by itself, the ruling cuts the trade-weighted average U.S. tariff almost in half from 15.4% to 8.3%.

For those countries on higher U.S. tariff levels, the change is more dramatic. For China, Brazil and India, it will mean double-digit percentage point cuts, albeit to still-high levels.

In Taiwan, the government said it was monitoring the situation closely, noting that the U.S. government had yet to determine how to fully implement its trade deals with many countries.

“While the initial impact on Taiwan appears limited, the government will closely monitor developments and maintain close communication with the U.S. to understand specific implementation details and respond appropriately,” a cabinet statement said.

Taiwan has signed two recent deals with the U.S. - one was a Memorandum of Understanding last month that committed Taiwan to invest $250 billion and the second was signed this month to lowering reciprocal tariffs.

### MORE CONFUSION

Analysts say the Supreme Court’s ruling against Trump’s more aggressive tariff measures may offer little relief for the global economy. They warned of looming confusion as trading nations brace for moves by Trump to find other means of using levies to circumvent the ruling.

Thailand’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office head Nantapong Chiralerspong said the ruling might even benefit its exports as uncertainty drove a fresh round of “front loading”, where shippers race to move goods to the U.S., fearing even higher tariffs.

In corporate disclosures tracked by Reuters, firms across the Asia-Pacific region reported financial hits, supply shifts and withdrawals as levies escalated through 2025 and early 2026.

### Related Stocks

- [3189.JP - ANAP Inc.](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/3189.JP.md)
- [00HSI.HK - Hang Seng Index](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/00HSI.HK.md)
- [3110.JP - Nitto Boseki Co., Ltd.](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/3110.JP.md)

## Related News & Research

| Title | Description | URL |
|-------|-------------|-----|
| 上周崩盘吓坏全球市场，今天 40 年期日债拍卖成焦点 | 尽管 40 年期日债价格自上周以来有所回升，但周三的拍卖将是重大考验。如果需求疲软可能引发新一轮抛售。而日债的任何进一步抛售都将使日本投资者将注意力从美国国债和欧洲债券转向国内市场，可能推高美债收益率。 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/273934698.md) |
| 香港的失业率在过去三个月中微升至 3.9% | 香港的失业率在过去三个月上升了 0.1 个百分点，达到 3.9%，保险、建筑和金融行业的失业人数有所增加。尽管如此，劳工部门对就业市场仍持乐观态度，认为经济增长将带来积极影响。隐性失业率保持在 1.7%。劳工及福利局局长陈思进指出，尽管某些 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276437674.md) |
| 罗致恒富｜10-K：2025 财年营收 53.79 亿美元超过预期 |  | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/275941343.md) |
| 中金公司重申对苏州瑞博生物科技有限公司 H 股（6938）的买入评级 | 在昨天发布的一份报告中，中金公司对苏州瑞博生物科技有限公司 H 股维持了买入评级，目标价为 100.00 港元。总统日促销 - 70% 折扣解锁对冲基金级别的数据和强大的投资工具，以便做出更聪明、更精准的决策。通过最新的新闻和分析，保持市场 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276199846.md) |
| 日本邮政银行股份有限公司修订了截至2026年3月31日的财年合并收益指引 | 日本邮政银行株式会社已修订截至 2026 年 3 月 31 日的财年合并收益指引。公司现在预计净收入为 5000 亿日元，较之前的 4700 亿日元有所上调，每股净收入为 139.94 日元，而之前为 131.43 日元。这一修订归因于国内 | [Link](https://longbridge.com/en/news/275922439.md) |

---

> **Disclaimer**: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.