USTR reaches trade deals with Malaysia and Cambodia, frameworks with Thailand and Vietnam
Agreements expected to open Southeast Asian markets for US beef and pork exports.
USA – The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it had finalised reciprocal trade agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia and reached preliminary frameworks with Thailand and Vietnam.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the agreements were aimed at reducing tariffs and removing barriers that have limited access for American goods in the region, adding that they would strengthen the United States’ trade position and support local producers.
The US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) welcomed the development, saying that better access to Southeast Asian markets could significantly support the meat sector.
USMEF president and chief executive officer Dan Halstrom stated that addressing both tariff and non-tariff barriers was crucial, especially given that the US beef industry currently has restricted access to China.
He noted that the agreements could open alternative outlets for beef cuts such as short plate, chuck short rib, rib fingers and omasum, which are in higher demand in Asia than in the domestic market.
Halstrom also highlighted that Southeast Asia was becoming an increasingly important outlet for pork variety meats, providing opportunities to sell cuts less popular in the US while retaining high-value items like bacon and ribs for domestic consumers.
In 2025, Malaysia imported beef worth about US$584 million, including US$70 million from Australia but almost none from the United States.
For pork, Malaysia imported US$188 million, of which US$11.5 million came from the US, while the European Union held roughly 82% of the market share.
National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president Duane Stateler said US pork producers depended heavily on exports, with more than a quarter of production going overseas, adding that the expanded access to Malaysia could help sustain farms during volatile periods.
NPPC reported that US pork exports to Malaysia reached a record US$24.5 million in 2024, a 1,700% increase over five years, despite only eight processing plants being approved for export.
Cambodia imported beef valued at US$11.8 million in the first eight months of 2025, including US$1 million from the US, and has already cleared imports from the country at zero duty.
USMEF said the Cambodian pork market remained small and regionally competitive, but tariff elimination and the removal of sanitary and phytosanitary restrictions positioned the US industry for future opportunities.
Thailand imported US$227 million in beef over the same period, largely from Australia, while imports from the US were just US$2.9 million due to a 50% tariff disadvantage.
Vietnam imported US$668 million worth of beef, with US$22 million from the United States, while pork imports totalled US$225 million, including about US$8 million from the US.
The completed agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia will take effect 60 days after both sides finalise their domestic procedures, while the frameworks with Vietnam and Thailand still require detailed negotiations.
Under the Malaysia deal, the country will cut the 15% tariff on pork sausages to 10%, remove tariffs on other pork products and drop plant-by-plant approval requirements, instead recognising the USDA’s FSIS directory.
Cambodia, on the other hand, has already eliminated its 15% tariffs on US beef and pork and pledged not to impose additional import licensing or SPS restrictions.
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