Manila, Aug. 19 -- The sweeping global tariffs imposed by the Trump administration should provide fresh impetus to boost trade within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysia's envoy to Manila said on Tuesday.

"I think the current tariffs that has been affecting ASEAN would create the opportunity for us to do extra intra-ASEAN trade," said Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino in an interview on the sidelines of an Asia Society forum in Taguig City.

"If countries in ASEAN can come together and see how they can use the advantages of our own local manufacturing processes- we have the ASEAN free trade area already present- that would really generate growth within ASEAN."

The US government...