Chinese President engages in Charming Offensive in Southeast Asia, U.S. Tariffs
Amid tariff pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, he ended his trip to three Southeast Asian countries, which couldn't be better for Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“It's a very smart move,” said Gil Lan, associate professor in the Department of Law and Business at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Metropolitan University of Toronto.
Xi Jinping's five-day visit to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia have been aimed at a wide range of tariffs announced earlier this month, including in Southeast Asia, especially among Chinese leaders.
“It is a great opportunity for China to position itself under the leadership of the world trade order. It is an opportunity the country has given it,” Lan said.
The Chinese leader last visited Cambodia nine years ago and Malaysia 12 years ago.
On April 2, Trump announced a “countdown” tariff on Vietnam, 24% on Malaysia and 49% on Cambodia, although the U.S. president paused 10% in 90 days in about face value.
China is the only outlier, facing 145% tariffs from the United States.
Maintain the global free trade system
His first stop was in Hanoi on Monday, and Xi Jinping was welcomed by Vietnamese President Long Kun and held a special ceremony. according to From Chinese Ministry of Foreign AffairsThe Chinese president said that the two countries will “strengthen strategic determination, jointly oppose unilateral bullying, maintain the global free trade system, and maintain global industry and supply chain stability.”
“He was welcomed by VIPs that anyone can afford,” said Ben Bland, director of the Asia-Pacific Programmes at Chatham House, a London-based think tank.
For Brand, timing is “very convenient” because the United States looks “very one-sided, compulsive.”
China and Vietnam said in a joint statement issued on Tuesday after a two-day visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, which they supported maintaining a multilateral trade regime around the World Trade Organization.
“Xi Jinping can show China's face in conversations with his partners and in conversations with his partners. Your own compulsory behavior record Ironically, heading towards Southeast Asia.
In the second stop, Xi Jinping and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's chairman this year Southeast National Association According to reports, (ASEAN) is expected to discuss a free trade agreement between China and the 10 population.
Xi Jinping's last stop was Cambodia, which was warmly welcomed in Phnom Penh on Thursday on the 50th anniversary of Norodom Sihamoni, the state king of Norodom Sihamoni, was acquired by Communist Party member Khmer Rouge.
Xi Jinping also met Cambodian Prime Minister Huns. In addition to discussing strengthening bilateral relations and regional and international issues, some agreements should be signed in various departments on cooperation.
Trump answered questions from XI's trip to Southeast Asia held in the Oval Office at a bilateral meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele on Monday.
“It was a great meeting. What we met was trying to figure out 'How do we screw up the United States of America?'” he said.
Trade and infrastructure
China's diplomacy in Southeast Asia has been going on for decades. it has been ASEAN's largest trading partner Since 2009, in 2024, the value of China's trade is US$998 billion.
To better understand the growing economic ties, trade between ASEAN and China has more than doubled between 2010 and 2019, and has tripled since the establishment of the ASEAN-China commodity trade agreement in 2005.
But this is not only the latest visit or transactional relationship for XI, it shows that the relationship in the region is strengthening. For the Metropolitan University of Toronto, FDI is also an indicator.
Over the past decade, China has spent billions of dollars on building infrastructure projects as part of its belt and road plans, including high-speed railways between Thailand and China, roads and roads in Cambodia, and railways and power stations in Vietnam.
“What [Southeast Asian countries] “Maybe I want to quietly make sure that China is still trading with China, but still trading with China, but not on the radar to confront the US president,” Lan said.
Economic and territorial disputes
But economically and geopolitically, it seems that the declaration of a powerful Asia-Pacific collective is not without fragile elements.
The Foreign Relations Commission, a New York-based think tank, mentioned China's “confidence” in its sovereignty claims on the South China Sea in September, and the untapped oil and gas in which it is located – exacerbating tensions with neighboring countries, especially the Philippines.
Beijing has also used economic coercion on the country, such as strict health checks on bananas imported from the Philippines in 2012, followed by a total ban in response to Manila's territorial claims on the South China Sea.
Canada and the United States have a place in these waters. In August, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair met with his Australian counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, to discuss strengthening their defense cooperation in the region, which presumably was a way to contain China.
The conflict in the South China Sea could undermine US $5.5 trillion in trade.
Brand of Chatham House said the conflicts would not evaporate overnight.
“There is a good chance that two powerful forces will improve your relationship at the same time even on the edge,” he said, referring to China and the United States
Meanwhile, China is attracting other neighbors, such as Japan and South Korea. In March, top diplomats from three countries held their first economic meeting in five years.
Even so, there are routine skirmishes in the Eastern Sea because of what China refers to the Thot Islands and what Japan calls the Senkaku Islands.
Despite the distrust, the threat and unpredictability of Donald Trump can largely inspire these countries to work closer together.
“In the end, you might see a stronger Asia,” Lan said. “But it's not necessarily the world's turn to Asia. It's the world's world away from America.”
