Xi to visit Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia amid rising US-China trade tensions

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Vietnam from April 14 to 15, at the invitation of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, To Lam, and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Luong Cuong, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced here on Friday.

President Xi will also pay state visits to Malaysia and Cambodia from April 15 to 18, at the invitation of King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim and King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia, the spokesperson said.

The visits come as Beijing seeks to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian neighbors amid escalating trade tensions with Washington.

This week, US President Donald Trump approved a 90-day suspension of tariffs on several countries — including Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia — but moved forward with additional tariffs targeting China, aiming to isolate Beijing.

Xi’s visit signals a strategic move to reinforce regional partnerships. Just days ago, he chaired a high-level meeting on neighborhood diplomacy, highlighting the importance of deepening relations in Asia.

Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia have all benefited from China's extended supply chain since Trump’s previous term. However, their growing trade roles have also drawn scrutiny from the US, which accuses some of facilitating indirect Chinese exports.

Vietnam continues to clash with China over the South China Sea, Cambodia is reconsidering joint drills with the US, and Malaysia is under investigation for allegedly facilitating Nvidia chip transfers to China.