Rubio is visiting Malaysia as the U.S. seeks to boost relations with Indo-Pacific nations to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

Shares were mixed in Asia on Wednesday, following a choppy trading day on Wall Street as the Trump administration pressed its campaign to win more favorable trade deals with nations around the globe.

Beyond the South East Asian producers, Trump's tariffs also raise costs for American companies that have been operating in the region for decades. The clothing and footwear industry stands to suffer - brands like Nike have long outsourced manufacturing to countries like Vietnam and Indonesia.