China’s Xi Warns Against Trade Wars Ahead of Southeast Asia Tour

As he prepares to embark on a five-day tour of Southeast Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned against trade wars, stating that they “yield no winners.” His remarks come amidst escalating trade tensions between China and the United States, as per Al Jazeera.

In an opinion piece published in Vietnam’s Nhan Dan newspaper ahead of his arrival in the country on Monday, Xi emphasized the need for countries to advance “comprehensive and inclusive global economic globalization.”

“Trade wars and tariff wars yield no winners, and protectionism offers no solutions,” Xi wrote. “There is a need to resolutely protect the multilateral trading system, sustain the stability of global production and supply chains, and maintain an open and cooperative international environment.”

Xi portrayed China’s economy as a “key driver of the world economy” in the face of rising unilateralism and protectionism. He pledged that China would “persist in high-level openness, creating more opportunities for the world, and contributing to the shared development of countries through its own high-quality development.”

The Chinese leader’s trip to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia is strategically timed as Beijing seeks to position itself as a reliable trade partner in the region amidst uncertainty stemming from US President Donald Trump’s trade policies.

Trump has imposed a baseline tariff of 10 percent on numerous countries, many in Asia, along with targeted tariffs of 25 percent on vehicles, steel, and aluminum. He has also announced new tariffs on semiconductors, although “reciprocal” tariffs on several US trade partners are currently on hold until July.

China, however, remains subject to a 145 percent tariff on its exports to the United States.

China is currently the largest trade partner for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as the top individual trade partner for Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Vietnam is the largest buyer of Chinese goods in the region, with imports from China surging over 30 percent to $144 billion in 2024, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Xi’s itinerary includes a visit to Malaysia from Tuesday to Thursday following his stay in Vietnam, and a subsequent visit to Cambodia.