TMTPOST -- U.S. President   Donald Trump on Monday   announced   new   tariffs on a slew of   countries   no   matter   they are   seeking lower   levies through   negotiations   with   his administration   or   not.

Credit：China Central Television

Trump on social media posted letters to the   leaders of   Japan and South Korea, notifying new tariff rates on   two Asian   economies starting from next month.   In his letters   on Monday, Trump said the U.S. will charge   these   two countries a 25% tariff on all of their imports   starting on August 1, separating from all existing sectoral   tariffs, and goods transshipped to evade a higher tariff will be subject   to that higher tariff.

The "transshipping" tariff means "if another country sells their content through products exported by Vietnam to us — they ’ ll get hit with a 40% tariff", U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick clarified last Wednesday, when Trump said he made a trade deal with Vietnam, impose 20% tariffs on all goods imported from Vietnam and 40% tariffs on "any Transshipping."

Companies in Japan or South Korea   will   be   exempted   from   the new tariffs if they decide   to build or manufacture   goods in the United States,   Trump said   in his letters   posted on   his social media Truth Social   Monday.   He warned   that   any counter-tariffs would trigger higher   reciprocal   tariffs   from the U.S.

"If for any reason you decided   to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever   the number you   choose to raise   them by,   will be added onto the 25% that   we charge,"   Trump wrote. He stressed the upcoming tariffs are necessary   as tariffs   and other   trade barriers   leading   to   "unsustainable Trade   Deficits against the United States   "   became a   major threat to   U.S. economy and national security.

Following the posts, White House press secretary   Karoline   Leavitt   stated Trump would inform   approximately 12   countries with   letters of their new tariff rates   that U.S.   is set to impose, and   the remaining countries will also receive letters in the   coming days and   weeks.

Trump later Monday disclosed   tariffs on 12 more   countries   in a series of   social media posts. From   his shared   screenshots   of   from   letters   to the   leaders   of   these   countries,   Trump dictated   25% tariffs   on   all the imports from   Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Tunisia, 30%   tariffs on   imports from South   Africa   and   Bosnia and   Herzegovina, 32% tariffs on Indonesia, 35% tariffs on   Bangladesh   and Serbia, 36%   tariffs on Thailand and   Cambodia,   40% tariffs on Laos and Myanmar.  

Trump   in the letters   issued similar threat that transshipping goods will be high hit with higher tariffs,   and the aforementioned   countries,   if   later decide   to   slap   the U.S. with   higher tariffs ,will face   extra   tariffs   with the same   level they   will impose on top   of the   new tariff rates   effective on August 1.   And   the president   added companies   in these countries   will be granted exemptions if they   decide   to make products   in the   United   States.

Trump recently   has   previewed letters would come out   this week to notify countries   of   new   tariffs   following   the   90-day   pause on   reciprocal   tariffs announced on April 2, a date the   president   proclaimed   "Liberation Day".    

Trump on Thursday said   he prefers directly dictating   flat   tariff rates   such   as   20%,   25%   or 30%   for each country   over   complex   negotiations.   "We have more than 170 countries, and how many deals can you make? You can make more deals, but they ’ re very much more complicated,"   Trump told reporters. He anticipated   to send   letters to about 10 countries   per day,   starting as early as on July 4, Friday.

Trump on Friday   said   trading partners will receive   tariff letters "over   the next few   days".   "They ’ ll range in value from maybe 60 or 70% tariffs to 10 and 20% tariffs,"   said Trump. The top tier of that range, if formalized, would be higher than any tariffs the president initially outlined during his Liberation Day rollout. However, the first wave of new   tariffs Trump disclosed on Monday are roughly in line with the   tariffs   unveiled   on   Liberation Day.

Tariff rates   set to come into effect on August   1 on South Korea, South Africa, Indonesia   and Thailand   are   the   same as those announced on   April 2. Tariffs on Japan   and Malaysia   will   be a   little bit higher   than those   announced on April 2,   while   imports from Kazakhstan,   Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Bangladesh, Cambodia   and Myanmar   will face lower duties.