Xi Jinping warns of “no winners” of Trump’s commercial war as he heads to Vietnam

Xi Jinping warned that American protectionism “will not lead anywhere” as the Chinese leader began a tour of Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia to strengthen relations with southeast East economies in southeast, which relies on the export of the escalating Donald Trump war.

The visit, eleventhThe first foreign trip comes this year, days after the US President raised the customs tariff for Chinese goods, up to 145 percent, depths of fears of separating the economy in the world and raising a sale in global markets.

Before the visit, Xi called for an increase in cooperation with Vietnam and other developing economies to strengthen a “equal and pole organized world.”

Xi wrote in the Vietnamese media: “The trade war and the war of customs tariffs will not lead to any winner, and they will not lead to protectionism anywhere,” adding that the countries should “must protect firmness of the multilateral trade system, the stable global supply chains and the international open and cooperative environment.”

Many Southeast Asian countries-which have high trade surpluses with goods with the United States due to their low-cost exports-have also been subjected to 49 percent. Global supply chains have moved to the region in recent years, especially to Vietnam, in an attempt to diversify and avoid China Definitions.

Trump has since announced a 90 -day postponement of some customs tariffs, but trade uncertainty has led to the instability of Southeast Asian governments and raised questions about Washington’s obligations towards the region, as China is already the largest investor and commercial partner for many countries.

“We are trying to defend the current international economic system, we are the ones who are defending the removal of barriers, and that the Chinese market will remain open.”

With the highlight of uncertainty, the United States announced on Friday that smartphones and some other products for consumer technology as well as semiconductors and design equipment imported from China will be excluded from the “mutual” sharp tariffs, before Trump reflects on Sunday a path A separate tariff system To be created for the sector.

The Chinese leader’s tour begins on Monday in Vietnam, and it is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and emerging manufacturing power. On Tuesday, he heads to Malaysia, President of the Association of Southeast Asian countries this year, and Cambodia.

Xi will also try to try to curb the leaders with Southeast Asian leaders for pressure to make a decision to transport Chinese goods through their countries to overcome American definitions.

Writing in financial times Last week, Trump’s commercial advisor Peter Navarro said: “We will want to hear from countries including Cambodia, Mexico and Vietnam that you will stop allowing China to evade American definitions through exports via shipment across your countries.”

US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent met with Deputy Prime Minister Vietnam Ho Doc Fook last week and agreed to start official commercial talks.

“One Big Ask” is to separate China in exchange for reaching the American market.

Xi said: “The game continues to try to get the third countries.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met on Beijing on Friday, and the leaders of the European Union are planning to travel to China for a summit in late July. Xianchies told that he was keen to deepen relations with the European state amid a difficult commercial war and repeated his warning that the world “is subject to abnormal accelerating changes in a century.”

Economists have warned that the American customs duties revealed this month will have a harmful impact on Southeast Asian countries. Vietnam, which faces 46 percent, will be among the most difficult blow, as the United States represents nearly a third of its exports.

Singapore Bank of Singapore has reduced the 2025 GDP growth forecast for Vietnam from 6.2 percent to 5 percent after announcing the customs tariff, although Hanoi maintained the 8 % growth goal.

Luo said that Southeast Asian countries will try to “hedge and running in an increasingly high line” among the competing great powers. While Vietnam was one of the largest beneficiaries in the transformation of manufacturing away from China, her largest neighbor is also The largest source of new investment projects.

The Foreign Minister of Singapore said in Interview with FT last week The disposal of the World Trade System can prove “very hostile to small countries”, which risk “pressure”.

Beijing has spent years building strong economic and commercial relations in Southeast Asia, where she invested billions of dollars in infrastructure, even as its regional disputes in the South China Sea exacerbated.

James Charry, an expert in China at the College of International Studies in Singaratnam in Singapore, said that the uncertainty caused by Trump’s commercial policies created an opportunity for Beijing “to participate in her allegations that she is a reliable partner for countries in the region.”

But while many developing economies in Southeast Asia are increasingly compatible with China, there is widespread fear about Beijing’s influence in the region.

“In my deep, most Southeast Asian countries have reservations about China’s capabilities to be the dominance of delicious superpower,” said Charry.