Beijing, April 11 – Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to embark on a diplomatic tour of three Southeast Asian nations next week, marking his first overseas visit since US President Donald Trump imposed a sweeping 145% tariff on Chinese exports. The visit, from April 14 to 18, will include state visits to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia, according to an announcement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
The high-stakes trip comes at a time of escalating trade friction between Washington and Beijing. With the US singling out China for punitive tariffs while excluding other key Asian exporters, Xi’s tour appears strategically timed to reinforce regional alliances and economic cooperation.
China's trade with ASEAN nations reached USD 962.28 billion last year, with exports totaling USD 575 billion, highlighting the strategic importance of these relationships. However, observers caution that regional dynamics remain complex. The inherently competitive nature of these export-driven economies—many reliant on US markets—poses challenges to unified cooperation. Territorial disputes also continue to strain ties.
Although Xi's visits to the three ASEAN members were long planned, their timing closely follows the US tariff hikes. While China has responded with 84% retaliatory tariffs, it remains the only country to have directly countered Trump's move. Other impacted Asian nations like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia have requested time to negotiate bilateral trade terms.
Earlier this week, in response to escalating tensions, Xi underscored China's commitment to strengthening ties with its neighbours. Speaking at a high-level central conference on neighbourhood diplomacy, Xi emphasized building "a community with a shared future" and advancing regional supply chain cooperation.
The two-day conference, held Tuesday and Wednesday, was attended by senior Communist Party leaders and focused on reshaping China’s foreign policy amid shifting global dynamics.
Beyond Southeast Asia, China has also moved to ease strained relations with other regional powers. Tensions with India, long frozen due to the eastern Ladakh military standoff, have shown signs of thawing after Xi met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan, Russia, last October. Since then, both sides have engaged in high-level dialogues aimed at normalising bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, Beijing has rekindled economic diplomacy with Japan and South Korea, holding their first trilateral trade talks in five years. The discussions centered around free trade agreements and regional trade facilitation in anticipation of further fallout from US protectionist policies.
China is also expanding its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a vehicle to deepen trade engagement across Asia, counterbalancing growing pressure from the West.
As the global trade landscape continues to shift, Xi’s Southeast Asia tour underscores Beijing’s strategic pivot toward regional consolidation and diversification of trade partnerships.
Strengthening Regional Ties Amid Global Trade Tensions
The high-stakes trip comes at a time of escalating trade friction between Washington and Beijing. With the US singling out China for punitive tariffs while excluding other key Asian exporters, Xi’s tour appears strategically timed to reinforce regional alliances and economic cooperation.
China's trade with ASEAN nations reached USD 962.28 billion last year, with exports totaling USD 575 billion, highlighting the strategic importance of these relationships. However, observers caution that regional dynamics remain complex. The inherently competitive nature of these export-driven economies—many reliant on US markets—poses challenges to unified cooperation. Territorial disputes also continue to strain ties.
Strategic Outreach Following US Tariffs
Although Xi's visits to the three ASEAN members were long planned, their timing closely follows the US tariff hikes. While China has responded with 84% retaliatory tariffs, it remains the only country to have directly countered Trump's move. Other impacted Asian nations like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia have requested time to negotiate bilateral trade terms.
Earlier this week, in response to escalating tensions, Xi underscored China's commitment to strengthening ties with its neighbours. Speaking at a high-level central conference on neighbourhood diplomacy, Xi emphasized building "a community with a shared future" and advancing regional supply chain cooperation.
The two-day conference, held Tuesday and Wednesday, was attended by senior Communist Party leaders and focused on reshaping China’s foreign policy amid shifting global dynamics.
Regional Diplomacy Expands Beyond ASEAN
Beyond Southeast Asia, China has also moved to ease strained relations with other regional powers. Tensions with India, long frozen due to the eastern Ladakh military standoff, have shown signs of thawing after Xi met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan, Russia, last October. Since then, both sides have engaged in high-level dialogues aimed at normalising bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, Beijing has rekindled economic diplomacy with Japan and South Korea, holding their first trilateral trade talks in five years. The discussions centered around free trade agreements and regional trade facilitation in anticipation of further fallout from US protectionist policies.
China is also expanding its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a vehicle to deepen trade engagement across Asia, counterbalancing growing pressure from the West.
As the global trade landscape continues to shift, Xi’s Southeast Asia tour underscores Beijing’s strategic pivot toward regional consolidation and diversification of trade partnerships.
Last updated by a enewsx: