We can’t fight a trade war with US” – Fiji responds to Trump’s 32% tariff

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.

Other Pacific nations were also affected by the new tariffs, with the Trump administration imposing a 10% tariff on Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Kiribati, and the Federated States of Micronesia.