Friday, April 4, 2025 - Fiji, the Pacific nation hardest hit by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariff announcement, has said it lacks the means to respond.
The country was slapped with a 32% tariff, the highest among
Pacific nations, while Vanuatu received 22% and Nauru, 30%.
Speaking to reporters, Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka
likened the move to a “trade blockade,” admitting that the nation has little
capacity to resist.
“We cannot
fight a war, especially a trade war,” Rabuka said. “We don’t have anything to
counter with. So, we will have to weather the storm and roll with the punches,”
he told FBC News
The United States is Fiji’s largest export market, primarily
due to its iconic bottled water brand. In 2023, $253 million worth of
Fiji-branded spring water was exported to the U.S.
Despite the tariffs, Westpac analyst Justin Smirk told APP
that he believes the impact on Fiji’s water exports will be minimal. He noted
that the country has developed a resilient brand and loyal market base.
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