Debt crisis Tariffs pose grave risk for struggling countries of global south

This is very messed up. If Trump wants Cambodia to import more American goods: look, we are just a very small country," says Khun Tharo, who works to promote human rights in the Cambodian garment sector, which employs about 1 million people, many of them women.

- Heather Stewart

"I think they are very concerned about their jobs, and I think they are very concerned about their monthly paycheque. And that has significant effects on the livelihoods of their dependent family," says Tharo, the programme manager at the Centre for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (Central), a Cambodian workers' rights organisation.

One of the most wilfully destructive aspects of Donald Trump's shock and awe trade policy is the imposition of punitive tariffs on developing countries across Asia, including rates of 49% for Cambodia, 37% for Bangladesh and 48% for Laos.

For decades Washington had championed economic development through trade. Now, at the same time as slashing overseas aid budgets and retreating from its role in supporting developing nations, it is ripping up that idea entirely. In its place, Trump intends to impose his will on the US's trading partners. Some are all but powerless to exact concessions given their small size and dependence on the US market.

Cambodia hastily offered to cut tariffs on US goods on Friday, in an attempt to propitiate Washington.