Thai foreign minister urges stronger regional trade amid tariff war

Maris warns major powers' rift could undo years of hard-won development

Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Sangiampongsa speaks during a Future of Asia conference session in Tokyo on May 29. (Photo by Akitoshi Sugiura)

LISA KIM and REIKA MIHARA

May 29, 2025 13:45 JST

TOKYO -- Maris Sangiampongsa, Thailand's foreign minister, on Thursday highlighted the importance of forging stronger ties among regional trading partners to navigate global disruptions brought on by U.S. tariffs.

"We need a renewed commitment to cooperation," Maris said at the Future of Asia, Nikkei's flagship annual conference in Tokyo. "The Indo-Pacific has become the epicenter of the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry, reflecting the region's central role in global supply chains and economic interdependence."