Chinese President Xi Jinping - in a message ahead of his visit to Vietnam - warned that trade wars and tariff disputes “yield no winners” and stressed the importance of safeguarding multilateral trade systems.
Xi's comments come as he begins a five-day tour of Southeast Asia amid ongoing tensions between the US and China over trade policies.
Writing in Vietnam’s official newspaper Nhan Dan, Xi emphasised the need for countries to advance “comprehensive and inclusive global economic globalization” and expressed his firm stance against protectionism.
He noted, “Trade wars and tariff wars yield no winners, and protectionism offers no solutions.” Xi’s remarks reflect China’s ongoing efforts to present itself as a reliable and open trade partner to the region, countering the impact of rising unilateral trade measures by the United States.
The Chinese leader reiterated China’s commitment to protecting the stability of global production and supply chains, urging cooperation on an international level.
He also stated that China’s economy continues to be a vital driver of global growth, with the country persistently pursuing high-level openness to contribute to shared global development.
Xi’s visit to Vietnam marks the start of his tour, which will also take him to Malaysia and Cambodia. The trip comes at a time when Beijing is seeking to strengthen its economic ties with Southeast Asia amid uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump’s trade policies.
The US has imposed a range of tariffs, including a 10 percent tariff on goods from dozens of countries, many in Asia, and a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports. China, in particular, has been targeted with tariffs as high as 145 percent on some exports.
China remains the largest trading partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as a key trade partner for Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia individually. Notably, Vietnam is China’s largest trading partner in the region, with imports from China surging by more than 30 percent to reach $144 billion in 2024, according to data from Vietnam’s General Department of Customs.
Following his visit to Vietnam, Xi is scheduled to visit Malaysia from Tuesday to Thursday, before concluding his tour in Cambodia. As China seeks to bolster its trade relations in the region, the outcomes of this diplomatic journey will be closely watched by policymakers and businesses around the world.
