Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun a diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia with plans to visit Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia to strengthen regional ties amid intensifying trade tensions with the United States.
Xi warned that “trade wars and tariff wars yield no winners” and emphasized the importance of safeguarding global supply chains and multilateral cooperation. The comment comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Despite a 90-day pause on many “reciprocal” tariffs targeting multiple countries, the U.S. has maintained a punishing 145% tariff on imports from China.
Xi made his first stop in Hanoi, Vietnam, where he held meetings with Vietnam’s top leaders, including Communist Party General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Both sides signed multiple agreements, including a major push to advance an $8 billion railway project connecting the two countries.
While Vietnam has benefited from supply chain shifts away from China, U.S. officials are increasingly wary, suspecting it is being used as a “backdoor” for Chinese exports. This suspicion has led to Vietnam being hit with 46% U.S. tariffs before a temporary 90-day reprieve.
