Chinese President Xi Jinping is embarking on a strategic five-day tour across Southeast Asia, aiming to solidify Beijing’s economic partnerships and counter the destabilizing effects of sweeping U.S. tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.
Xi will visit Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia starting Monday — his first international trip of 2025 — in a mission described by China’s foreign ministry as holding “major importance” for the region’s future. The move signals Beijing’s intent to reinforce its influence as a stabilizing force amid global economic turbulence.
China’s efforts come in response to Trump’s sudden announcement of punitive tariffs — including a blanket 145% levy on Chinese imports — that have rattled global markets and sent developing nations scrambling. While a temporary 90-day reprieve and certain exemptions have been granted, Chinese officials say the damage is already being felt.
“These tariffs inflict serious harm on developing countries,” said Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in a recent call with WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Southeast Asia, particularly ASEAN nations, has become China’s top trade destination. In 2024 alone, ASEAN imported $586.5 billion worth of Chinese goods, with Vietnam and Malaysia leading the list. Xi’s visit underscores China’s commitment to strengthening these economic ties, especially as nations look to pivot away from an increasingly unpredictable U.S.
Xi will begin his tour in Vietnam, which maintains a delicate “bamboo diplomacy” — balancing growing economic ties with China while cooperating with the U.S. on regional security concerns, particularly in the South China Sea.
He will then head to Malaysia, where Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil praised the visit as a key opportunity to deepen bilateral trade and cooperation.
Xi’s final stop will be in Cambodia, one of Beijing’s most loyal allies in the region. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet reaffirmed the strength of the China-Cambodia relationship, calling Beijing a “key partner” in national development and celebrating Chinese investments in infrastructure.
Analysts suggest this trip is about more than trade — it’s about geopolitical repositioning. With the U.S. seen as increasingly volatile, Beijing is casting itself as a steady, long-term partner.
“China wants to demonstrate it’s the opposite of the coercive and self-interested U.S.,” said Huong Le Thu, deputy director of the International Crisis Group’s Asia Program. “It has been a dominant and resident power in the region — and the pull is only getting stronger.”
As Southeast Asian economies face the fallout of global trade tensions, Xi’s regional charm offensive may prove pivotal in reshaping the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.