US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that Asian nations might get “better” tariff rates than the rest of the world. He was attending ASEAN talks focused on Washington’s trade war. Rubio’s visit to Malaysia came after US President Donald Trump threatened this week to impose punitive tariffs on more than 20 countries.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met counterparts in Southeast Asia during his first visit to the region since taking office.

Vietnam remains the region’s largest apparel exporter to the U.S., sending roughly $18.6 billion worth of goods in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Cambodia follows with $7.8 billion, then Indonesia at $6.4 billion, Thailand at $2.7 billion, and Malaysia at $1.6 billion.