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Trump's Baseline Tariff Plays to Türkiye’s Advantage, Vice President Says

Türkiye's Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz speaks during a press conference to unveil a savings measures package in Ankara, Türkiye, May 13, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
Türkiye's Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz speaks during a press conference to unveil a savings measures package in Ankara, Türkiye, May 13, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
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Trump's Baseline Tariff Plays to Türkiye’s Advantage, Vice President Says

Türkiye's Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz speaks during a press conference to unveil a savings measures package in Ankara, Türkiye, May 13, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
Türkiye's Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz speaks during a press conference to unveil a savings measures package in Ankara, Türkiye, May 13, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo

The relatively low 10% baseline tariff that the United States has applied to Türkiye could favor Turkish exporters, Türkiye's vice president told broadcaster CNN Turk on Saturday.
Along with the baseline tariff that took effect on Saturday, US President Donald Trump has announced higher levies on goods from 57 larger partners including China, European Union, Vietnam and Japan that are due to start next week.
The decision not to impose such levies on Türkiye "seems to be to our advantage as of now, for access to the American market", Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz told CNN Turk.
"There were already tariffs on iron, steel and aluminium (exports from Türkiye to the US). When (the US) imposed similar tariffs on the others, there was an equalization there, it was in our favour," he added.
Yilmaz said that as an importer, Türkiye would also benefit from a drop in international commodity prices, including oil, following Trump's announcement.
Türkiye's Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on Friday that the Turkish government wanted to negotiate with the US to lift the 10% in new tariffs.
He called them the "best of the worst", given higher tariffs on many other countries.

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Berlin Eyes Partnership with Riyadh in Expo 2030, Climate Cooperation, Hydrogen Initiatives

Saudi and German flags fluttering - File Photo/Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi and German flags fluttering - File Photo/Asharq Al-Awsat
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Berlin Eyes Partnership with Riyadh in Expo 2030, Climate Cooperation, Hydrogen Initiatives

Saudi and German flags fluttering - File Photo/Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi and German flags fluttering - File Photo/Asharq Al-Awsat

A senior German official affirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Saudi Arabia across various fields, noting that bilateral trade relations continue to grow steadily, with trade volume reaching around 7 billion Euros.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Kindsgrab said: “The sectors driving this growth—chemicals, machinery, and transport—reflect the strong industrial connections we share. These are areas where German expertise is making a real difference in Saudi Arabia’s development.”

He added: “Looking ahead, there is much to be excited about. Expo 2030 is an incredible opportunity for us to further deepen our collaboration, showcase the best of what both Saudi Arabia and Germany have to offer, and inspire future generations to continue building on this remarkable partnership.”

German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Kindsgrab - Asharq Al-Awsat

Renewable Energy

On climate cooperation, the official said: “As for climate cooperation, we have just launched a relevant study on the Saudi labor market in the renewable energy sector, which was reviewed by the National Labor Observatory and discussed with experts of KAPSARC, KaCare and PSU. This is a great example of our close and meaningful partnership, tackling the challenges of today with an eye on the future.”

Blossoming Relations

Kindsgrab noted that Saudi-German relations are truly blossoming, saying: "I am proud to see our partnership becoming deeper and stronger across so many areas. From a personal perspective, it is inspiring to witness the growing bonds between our two countries. These ties span a wide range of sectors, including energy, transport, architecture, health, education and culture—creating a solid foundation for the future.”

“One of the most exciting aspects of our cooperation is in the area of energy transition. German innovation is at the heart of NEOM’s green hydrogen projects, with Thyssenkrupp Nucera playing a key technological role in making the vision of decarbonization of industry a reality,” he affirmed.

“Beyond energy, we’re also seeing significant progress in transport, where Siemens’ delivery of metro wagons helped to shape the modern infrastructure of Saudi cities. And let’s not forget the impact of German architecture in megaprojects such as King Salman Park or the design of Expo 2030, which I believe will be a landmark event for both our countries, ” added Kindsgrab.

“In the health sector, the collaboration with Charité in Berlin is another example of how our nations are working together to improve lives.”

Accelerated Cultural Cooperation

“And now, I am particularly excited to see the acceleration of cultural cooperation, such as the recently launched museum initiative between the Saudi Museums Commission and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation of Germany,” the German ambassador stressed.

“This cooperation emerged as part of our shared efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties and will play an enriching role for the cultural relations, as it includes a loan program for artworks, joint curatorship and training programs to support talent development,” he concluded.