Malaysia-US Trade Talks Started ‘Well Enough,’ Official Says

Malaysia’s initial meeting with US officials on tariffs went well but it’s only the first step toward forging a trade agreement, according to a top economic official from the Southeast Asian nation.

“The good thing is we had our first conversation, the good thing is the conversation was received well enough,” said Second Finance Minister Amir Hamzah Azizan during an event in Washington Friday.

Amir Hamzah Azizan

Photographer: Samsul Said/Bloomberg

The talks with US officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, focused on framing the way forward and “reiterate clarity on what’s at stake,” he said. The conversations are ongoing and Amir said he’s “hopeful” ...