25 Nov 2025
The United States’ trade policy is increasingly moving beyond traditional economic metrics to include ideological and strategic considerations. In a move that broadens the remit of executive trade authority, President Donald Trump has issued an executive order rolling back an additional 40% tariff on certain Brazilian agricultural imports, not primarily because of a market correction, but citing bilateral political concerns and recent negotiations. According to a trade-legal report, the U.S. additional duty on specified Brazilian goods was originally imposed on grounds including “politically motivated persecution, intimidation, harassment, censorship, and prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and thousands of his supporters,” and alleged “unprecedented actions to coerce U.S. companies to censor political speech.” The White House statement indicates the rollback reflects “progress in bilateral negotiations to address these concerns.” For global businesses, the implication is that U.S. market access may now be influenced by a partner nation’s domestic political and legal decisions, adding a layer of ideological risk to supply chain planning.
Meanwhile, on the China front, the U.S. and China have reached a significant trade-economic agreement. According to the White House Fact Sheet, China will suspend the global implementation of newly announced export controls on rare earth elements, gallium, and germanium. China has also committed to halting the flow of certain precursor chemicals used in fentanyl production to the U.S. In exchange, the U.S. will reduce “fentanyl-related” tariffs on Chinese goods by approximately 10 percentage points as part of the broader deal. In addition, China pledged to purchase at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans in the final weeks of 2025. The two leaders also indicated that President Trump plans a visit to Beijing in April 2026 to formalize further phases of the realignment.
With the China front now appearing more stable, U.S. trade negotiators are reportedly shifting focus to South Asia. Some reports suggest that a U.S.–India trade deal is in its final stages and might be announced before the end of November. The proposed agreement targets bilateral trade reaching $500 billion by 2030. Regional diplomats in Pakistan and other South Asian nations are reportedly concerned that such a deal could create a two-speed economic architecture in the region, in which India gains preferential access to U.S. markets and technology while neighbors are disadvantaged.
References
https://asianews.network/south-asian-states-weigh-prospects-as-us-india-mull-trade-deal/
