Brazil targets ASEAN trade growth to offset US tariff impacts

Brazil is actively pursuing trade diversification to mitigate the impact of United States tariffs. Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira projected that trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) could soon surpass Brazil's trade volume with both the US and the European Union. Brazilian trade with ASEAN has grown significantly, reaching approximately US$ 38 billion in 2025.

To support this shift, ApexBrasil has launched an export diversification plan worth 210 million reais. This initiative aims to assist roughly 5,300 companies affected by US tariffs by opening access to 36 alternative markets, including China, India, and Indonesia.

Additionally, Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services Márcio Elias Rosa stated that Brazil expects a trade surplus of US$ 90 billion in 2026. He emphasized that while Brazil is defending itself against what he termed 'illegal and abusive' US tariffs through reciprocity processes, the expansion into new global markets is successfully compensating for losses in the American market.