The United States has signed a flurry of deals on trade and critical minerals with four Southeast Asian partners, looking to address trade imbalances and diversify supply chains amid tighter export curbs on rare earths by China.

US President Donald Trump, who is in Kuala Lumpur to attend a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, signed reciprocal trade deals with his Malaysian and Cambodian counterparts as well as a framework trade pact with Thailand which will let the countries work to address tariff and non-tariff barriers.

The United States would maintain a tariff rate of 19 per cent on exports from all three countries under the deals, with the levy to be reduced to zero for some goods, according to joint statements released by the White House.

The US also announced a s

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