Photo: Li Xueren/Xinhua/AFP
Eurasia
14/04/2025 17:33
His remarks came amid the escalating trade war between China and the United States—the world’s two largest economies—as the Trump administration imposed tariffs of 145 per cent on Chinese imports. Beijing responded with retaliatory levies of 125 per cent, while also signalling that it would refrain from introducing further increases.
The US administration also imposed tariffs of 46 per cent on imports from Vietnam.
President Xi began his three-nation tour of Southeast Asia in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, marking his first overseas trip of 2025. It also represents his fourth visit to Vietnam since becoming secretary-general of the Chinese Communist Party in November 2012.
Following his two-day state visit to Vietnam, Xi will travel to Malaysia at the invitation of King Sultan Ibrahim and will conclude his tour on Friday with a visit to Cambodia, hosted by King Norodom Sihamoni.
The trip comes amid rising regional tensions and the ongoing trade conflict with the United States, with both economic powers engaged in a cycle of retaliatory tariffs.
China has remained Vietnam’s largest trading partner for over two decades, with bilateral trade surpassing $260 billion last year.
In a statement issued ahead of his arrival in Hanoi, Xi emphasised diplomacy and regional cooperation.
“We should properly manage differences and safeguard peace and stability in our region,” he said. “The successful delimitation of our boundaries on land and in the Beibu Gulf demonstrates that with vision, we are fully capable of properly settling maritime issues through consultation and negotiation.”
While China maintains strong economic ties with all three nations on Xi’s itinerary, it also has competing maritime claims with both Vietnam and Malaysia, as well as with other ASEAN member states, in the disputed South China Sea—a long-standing flashpoint in regional security.
