thailandedition
At Analysis on China-US Trade Impact and Thailand's 5 Strategies

At Analysis on China-US Trade Impact and Thailand's 5 Strategies

Matichon•Economy•55m ago

Reader Briefing

Associate Professor Dr. At Phisanwanit analyzes the trade imbalance between ASEAN and China and the US, proposing five survival strategies for Thailand.

  • •Thailand and Vietnam have high trade deficits with China, particularly in machinery and electronics.
  • •Thailand and Vietnam are the top ASEAN countries with trade surpluses with the United States.
  • •China's market dominance in ASEAN is driven by government support, overcapacity, and the US-China trade war.
  • •The US is pressuring ASEAN countries to reduce trade deficits and prevent China from using the region to bypass trade barriers.

Overview

  • •On September 2, Associate Professor Dr. At Phisanwanit revealed an analysis regarding how Thailand can survive the trade pressures from China and the United States.
  • •In 2025, ASEAN's total trade with China is valued at approximately 1.06 trillion US dollars, resulting in an ASEAN trade deficit with China of approximately 276.6 billion US dollars.
  • •In 2025, Thailand has a trade deficit with China of 53.8 billion US dollars and a trade surplus with the United States of 75.0 billion US dollars.
  • •China's increased exports to ASEAN are caused by government support, domestic overcapacity, the US-China trade war since 2018, and the China Plus One strategy.
  • •High dependence on Chinese imports for machinery, electronics, and electric vehicles may pose a long-term risk to Thailand's internal production structure.
  • •The United States uses import tax hikes, anti-dumping measures, and origin inspections to pressure ASEAN countries to reduce deficits and block Chinese trade avoidance.
  • •Associate Professor Dr. At Phisanwanit suggests Thailand balance relations by cooperating with China on tourism and specific trade, while cooperating with the United States on AI, semiconductors, and aviation.
  • •Associate Professor Dr. At Phisanwanit recommends Thailand expand relations with Japan, South Korea, India, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand as third alternatives.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Read on Matichon (Thai Version)View in Google Translate

Source: Matichon (Original)

Key Entities

Person

At Phisanwanit(อัทธ์ พิศาลวานิช)
An Associate Professor and lecturer at the Faculty of Economics, Rangsit University who provided the trade analysis.
Donald Trump(โดนัลด์ ทรัมป์)ℹ️
The US President who initiated the trade war with China in 2018.

Organization

Rangsit University(มหาวิทยาลัยรังสิต)ℹ️
The institution where Associate Professor Dr. At Phisanwanit serves as a lecturer in the Faculty of Economics.
ASEAN(อาเซียน)ℹ️
A regional bloc that serves as a market, production base, and strategic area for both China and the United States.
European Union(สหภาพยุโรป)ℹ️
An entity mentioned as a third alternative for Thailand to expand trade relations.

Place

China(จีน)ℹ️
A major trading partner that has a high trade surplus with ASEAN and is expanding its market and production base in the region.
United States(สหรัฐฯ)ℹ️
A major trading partner that has a high trade deficit with ASEAN and uses trade measures to block Chinese influence.
Thailand(ไทย)ℹ️
An ASEAN country with a high trade deficit with China and a high trade surplus with the United States.
Vietnam(เวียดนาม)ℹ️
The ASEAN country with the highest trade deficit with China and the highest trade surplus with the United States.
Malaysia(มาเลเซีย)ℹ️
An ASEAN country that has a trade surplus with the United States.
Singapore(สิงคโปร์)ℹ️
The only ASEAN country that has a trade deficit with the United States.
Philippines(ฟิลิปปินส์)ℹ️
An ASEAN country that has a trade deficit with China.
Indonesia(อินโดนีเซีย)ℹ️
An ASEAN country that has a trade surplus with the United States.
Japan(ญี่ปุ่น)ℹ️
A country mentioned as a third alternative for Thailand to expand trade relations.
South Korea(เกาหลีใต้)ℹ️
A country mentioned as a third alternative for Thailand to expand trade relations.
India(อินเดีย)ℹ️
A country mentioned as a third alternative for Thailand to expand trade relations.
United Kingdom(สหราชอาณาจักร)ℹ️
A country mentioned as a third alternative for Thailand to expand trade relations.
Australia(ออสเตรเลีย)ℹ️
A country mentioned as a third alternative for Thailand to expand trade relations.
New Zealand(นิวซีแลนด์)ℹ️
A country mentioned as a third alternative for Thailand to expand trade relations.

Policy

China Plus Oneℹ️
A strategy used by multinational companies to reduce reliance on production bases solely in China by expanding to ASEAN.

Law

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)(เขตการค้าเสรีอาเซียน-จีน (RCEP))
A free trade agreement that reduces taxes and facilitates trade between China and ASEAN.