U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Southeast Asian counterparts on Thursday in his first visit to Asia since taking office, and will try to reassure them the region is a priority for Washington,

Trump imposes tariffs up to 40% on 14 countries, pressuring allies to shift production to the US and avoid ties with BRICS. Tensions mount globally.

Donald Trump has said he will impose 25 per cent tariffs on imports of goods from Japan and South Korea, in an announcement that sent US stocks sliding. The president on Monday said the new levies on both countries would come into effect on August 1. Trump has vowed to announce tariff rates for dozens of other trading partners in coming days.

Asian shares rose Tuesday after stocks on Wall Street closed broadly lower as the White House stepped up pressure on major trading partners to make deals before punishing tariffs imposed by the U.S. take effect.

The president has already threatened an additional 10% tariff on goods from countries aligning themselves with a bloc of nations that includes China and Russia.

South Korea is seeking to extend a looming tariff grace period tied to US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariff policy. South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo traveled to Washington last week to present what officials describe as a "technology-driven framework" aimed at reshaping the conversation around tariffs into one of strategic industrial cooperation.

President Donald Trump's latest executive order delaying official tariff increases on dozens of countries until Aug. 1 has relieved some pressure on world markets, but he also ordered a 25% tax on goods imported from Japan and South Korea,