East Asia Powers Weigh U.S. Tariff Impact

Top financial and central bank officials from China, Japan, and South Korea convened in Malaysia earlier this week to assess the macroeconomic implications of U.S. tariffs on both regional and global economies, according to a statement released Friday by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC).

The meeting, held on April 8–9 as part of the regular ASEAN+3 finance and central bank deputies gathering, was attended by PBOC Deputy Governor Xuan Changneng. Representatives from the three major East Asian economies exchanged views on the current economic landscape and explored avenues for enhancing regional financial cooperation.

During the discussions, Chinese officials reiterated their commitment to maintaining a moderately loose monetary policy aimed at ensuring the smooth functioning of financial markets. The central bank also emphasized its focus on strengthening the momentum of China’s economic recovery.

The trilateral dialogue underscores growing regional concerns over external economic pressures and the shared interest among Asian economies in promoting financial stability amid global uncertainty.