Xi Jinping to Embark on Southeast Asia Tour Amid Global Trade Tensions

 Beijing, April 12, 2025 – Chinese President Xi Jinping will undertake his first official overseas trip of the year, visiting Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia from April 14 to 18, as China seeks to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian nations amid escalating trade disputes with the United States.

The week-long tour begins in Vietnam on Monday, at the invitation of President Luong Cuong, Chinese authorities confirmed. Xi’s last visit to Vietnam in December 2023 underscored Hanoi’s delicate balancing act in maintaining robust ties with both Beijing and Washington. Vietnam’s “bamboo diplomacy” navigates its close economic partnership with China while aligning with U.S. concerns over Beijing’s assertiveness in the contested South China Sea.

From April 15 to 17, Xi will travel to Malaysia, where the government views the visit as a strategic move to enhance bilateral trade. Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil emphasized that Xi’s trip is “part of the government’s efforts ... to see better trade relations with various countries including China,” signaling Kuala Lumpur’s intent to deepen economic cooperation with its largest trading partner.

The tour concludes in Cambodia from April 17 to 18, a nation regarded as one of China’s closest allies in Southeast Asia. Cambodia’s government hailed the visit as a “milestone” that will “further cement the traditional relations of friendship built by successive leaders of both countries.” Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Hun Sen and his son, current Prime Minister Hun Manet, Cambodia has benefited from billions in Chinese infrastructure investments, even as its ties with the U.S. have faced challenges.

Xi’s regional engagement comes at a critical juncture, with China grappling with heightened trade tensions following U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of 145% tariffs on many Chinese exports. The visits signal Beijing’s intent to bolster economic and diplomatic alliances in Southeast Asia, a region pivotal to its global influence.

As Xi prepares to meet with leaders across the three nations, the tour is expected to focus on advancing trade agreements, infrastructure collaboration, and regional stability, reinforcing China’s strategic presence in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.