London [UK], April 6: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has discussed "concerns" about tariffs with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The talks came shortly after the British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) said it would "pause" shipments to the United States while it looks to "address the new trading terms" of US President Donald Trump's rules. The prime minister and French president talked about their "concerns about the global economic and security impact" of the new taxes, "particularly in South-East Asia" in a call on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the announcement from JLR earlier on Saturday came as companies are grappling with the new trade rules, and the fallout on the global stock markets. The firm has said it is looking to "develop" its longer-term plans.
A 10% tariff on goods imported into the US from around the world kicked in on Saturday morning, while a 25% levy on foreign car imports came into force on Thursday.
Starmer's conversation with Macron was the latest in a series of calls with world leaders following Trump's announcement on Wednesday.
Issuing a read-out of the call, a Downing Street spokesperson said: "They agreed that a trade war was in nobody's interests but nothing should be off the table and that it was important to keep business updated on developments." "The prime minister and president also shared their concerns about the global economic and security impact, particularly in South-East Asia," the spokesperson said.
Trading across the world has been hammered in the aftermath of the president's tariff announcement. (PA Media/dpa)
Source: Qatar Tribune