Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to embark on a multinational tour of Southeast Asia this spring, hoping to strengthen ties between Beijing and neighboring countries.
According to a report from the South China Morning Post on Monday, Mr. Xi is expected to travel to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia sometime in mid-April. His trip is reportedly intended to strengthen relationships between China and other Southeast Asian nations.
The tour will mark the first international stops for the Chinese president this year and is Mr. Xi’s first visit to Southeast Asia in years.
Notably, Mr. Xi is expected to meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim while visiting the country. The April meeting, expected to last three days, follows Malaysian Prime Minister Ibrahim’s visit to Beijing last November, which Chinese officials said was productive.
Trade between Malaysia and China has increased dramatically over the past decade, with the country quickly becoming one of Beijing’s largest trade partners.
However, Vietnam still holds the top spot, accounting for 26.5% of all trade within Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries. China is also assisting Cambodia in its massive infrastructure effort through its Belt and Road initiative.
The tour follows anxiety concerning how U.S. foreign policy could shake the region. President Trump has positioned himself as a staunch China opponent, imposing a 10% tariff on Chinese goods back in February. The tariffs doubled to 20% in early March.
Beijing has already issued reciprocal tariffs, handing down a 15% tariff on select U.S. farm goods. Earlier this week, Chinese state media reported that China, Japan and South Korea would jointly retaliate to U.S. tariffs, a claim both Korean and Japanese leaders denied.
