IMF urges US to work constructively with partners, reduce trade restrictions

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged the United States to work constructively with its trading partners to address concerns over unfair trade practices and to agree on a coordinated reduction in trade restrictions that have negative cross-border effects, according to a statement released by the IMF on Wednesday.

According to the statement entitled "United States of America: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2026 Article IV Mission," where trade and investment measures (including tariffs and export controls) are put in place for national security reasons, such policies should be applied narrowly, so as to minimize their negative effects at both home and abroad.

In this regard, higher tariffs create costs by distorting the allocation of productive resources, disrupting global supply chains, and undermining the benefits of global trade, says the statement.

The Article IV consultation is a routine assessment conducted by the IMF on the economic performance and macroeconomic policies of its member countries.

This year's version focuses on an assessment of the shift in U.S. economic policy in 2025, including the impact of these policies on the U.S., on its trading partners, and on the global economy.

Beginning in early 2025, the U.S. government implemented a significant increase in tariffs, disrupting the global trade order and causing barriers in the U.S. export market.

IMF urges US to work constructively with partners, reduce trade restrictions

IMF urges US to work constructively with partners, reduce trade restrictions

IMF urges US to work constructively with partners, reduce trade restrictions

IMF urges US to work constructively with partners, reduce trade restrictions

Thai exporters are leveraging this year's China International Import Expo (CIIE) to seek new opportunities in China as innovation and shifting consumer demand reshape how Thailand's traditional agricultural products are grown, produced and brought to market.

For generations, families in Thailand have made a living from coconut palms, harvesting the fruit by hand and shipping it far beyond the orchards where it is grown.

Natthasak Manusrungsri's family has been exporting aromatic coconuts for more than two decades. But growing demand from China has transformed the scale of their business, driving production, expanding exports and inspiring new ways to bring this familiar fruit to consumers.

"Almost every factory that packs fresh coconuts depends on China as its main market, almost entirely. After Thailand received permission to export coconuts to China, volumes kept rising, driven by trends and by customers becoming more knowledgeable and health-conscious," said Natthasak Manusrungsri, managing director of K-Fresh Co.

But as demand grows, so does the pressure to innovate. Generations of agricultural knowledge are meeting a new generation of ideas.

For Thai producers, China offers enormous opportunities, but competition is intensifying. As consumer preferences change, exporters are shifting their focus beyond simply increasing sales to developing innovative products that offer greater convenience and bring more value to an increasingly competitive industry.

That transformation begins long before the coconuts leave the trees. Across a network of plantations, precision agriculture is helping farmers monitor growing conditions, identify problem areas, and improve yields, while maintaining the quality of Thailand's renowned coconuts.

Inside the factory, innovation takes a different form. Even the simple act of opening a coconut has been redesigned. A patented mechanism allows consumers to open it with a push.

"Innovation matters for both the farm and production, so we can deliver the highest quality to our customers. So, we practice precision agriculture. And in the factory, we focus on innovation to make it easier for consumers to open and enjoy, bringing quality products to consumers around the world and in China," said Manusrungsri.

For the farmers who tend these palms, the rhythm of life remains much as it has for generations. But beyond the orchards, almost everything else is changing.

And at CIIE 2026, Thailand's humble coconut is showing how an age-old harvest can find new value in a world of changing tastes and possibilities.

Thai coconut exporter taps CIIE to promote industry innovation