KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 — European Union (EU) and Belgian envoys have reportedly called for stronger trade ties with Malaysia amid growing global uncertainty triggered by US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff measures.

According to a report in The Edge, the officials — speaking at the launch of the Lumut Maritime Industrial City (LuMIC) master plan in Perak yesterday — said strategic cooperation with partners like Malaysia is key to maintaining a stable, rules-based global trade environment.

"There will always be a need for more of this [frameworks based on mutual benefit] ... We have a mutual interest in working together, so I see ourselves as national partners,” EU Ambassador to Malaysia Rafael Daerr was quoted as saying.

Belgium’s ambassador to Malaysia Peter Van Acker reportedly emphasised the importance of diversifying economic ties, pointing to Malaysia’s moderate reliance on trade with the US and its growing engagement with the EU.

"I think he [Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim] has taken a balanced approach... The ongoing discussion about the free trade agreement between Malaysia and the EU is crucial,” Van Acker reportedly said.

The comments come after Trump announced a 90-day pause on expanded tariffs for most countries — excluding China, which now faces import duties of up to 145 per cent.