菲律宾关税被上调至20%，美国前官员先气坏了：还要不要跟中国竞争

Core Points - The article discusses the announcement by U.S. President Trump regarding a new round of tariffs on products from eight countries, specifically increasing the tariff on Philippine products to 20% from the previously announced 17% [1][2] - The increase in tariffs is seen as a move to address the trade deficit with the Philippines, which reached $4.9 billion last year, a 21.8% increase from the previous year [1] - The article highlights the dissatisfaction expressed by experts regarding the sudden change in tariff rates, which could undermine the credibility of the U.S. as a negotiating partner [2][3] Summary by Sections Tariff Announcement - Trump announced a new tariff rate of 20% on Philippine products, effective August 1, which is higher than the previously stated 17% [1] - The rationale behind the increase is unclear, but it may be related to a framework agreement reached with Vietnam, which saw its tariff reduced from 46% to 20% [1][2] Trade Deficit Context - The U.S. trade deficit with the Philippines was $4.9 billion last year, with imports from the Philippines significantly exceeding exports [1] - In contrast, the trade deficit with Vietnam was much larger at $123.5 billion [1] Expert Opinions - Gregory Poling from CSIS speculated that the new tariff rate might be a benchmark based on the agreement with Vietnam [1] - Henrietta Levin criticized the U.S. for undermining trust with the Philippines, emphasizing the need for the U.S. to be a reliable partner in Southeast Asia to effectively compete with China [2] Philippine Response - The Philippine ambassador to the U.S. indicated that further negotiations would take place to lower the 20% tariff [2][3] - The Philippines had previously planned to increase imports of U.S. products to negotiate lower tariffs, but the new rate may dampen optimism regarding these efforts [3] Comparison with Other Countries - The tariffs imposed on the Philippines are significantly lower than those on Brazil, which faces a 50% tariff, and other countries facing tariffs as high as 30% [5][6] - Trump's tariff decisions appear to be influenced by personal grievances rather than purely economic considerations, as seen in the case of Brazil [5][6]