U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met counterparts in Southeast Asia on Thursday during his first visit to Asia since taking office, seeking to reassure them the region is a U.S. priority despite President Donald Trump's tariff offensive.

Sweeping tariffs set to be imposed by President Donald Trump next month may cast a pall over his top diplomat’s first official trip to Asia this week — just as the U.S. seeks to boost relations with Indo-Pacific nations to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

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.