Recent articles by Ken Heydon
2 July 2025
Southeast Asia needs to ramp up its trade links with Europe
Southeast Asia faces rising US tariffs and pressure to limit Chinese links, prompting a search for stronger European trade ties. While Europe offers promising opportunities, ASEAN must navigate complex bilateral deals that may risk regional cohesion. Closer EU ties can diversify markets and investments, but will not replace China’s role in supply chains. To fully benefit, Southeast Asian nations must drive domestic reforms, enhancing resilience and inclusive growth amid global trade uncertainties.
12 May 2025
Critical minerals offer a path to check US unilateralism
Trumpian trade policy promises a period of spasmodic aggression and persisting uncertainty.
2 December 2024
Trump’s tariffs are a fool’s game
US President-elect Donald Trump's protectionist trade policies — marked by high tariffs — have been a major economic setback for the United States. The costs of these policies have harmed domestic buyers and caused job losses in sectors related to the targeted industries. Rather than resolving the trade imbalance issue as Trump intended, his administration's fiscal expansion and subsequent reactions from affected countries have led to a major surge in the US trade deficit.