Hanoi, Apr 14 (V7N) – Chinese President Xi Jinping has embarked on a five-day diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia, arriving in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday morning, as part of a strategic effort to strengthen Beijing’s regional alliances amid escalating trade tensions with the United States.

According to a report by CNN News, Xi’s visit to Vietnam—his first stop—is seen as a crucial move to counterbalance growing US influence in Southeast Asia. During his two-day stay in Hanoi (April 14–15), the Chinese leader is scheduled to hold high-level meetings with President Luong Cuong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, among other top officials.

In an op-ed published in Vietnam’s state-run Nan Dan newspaper ahead of his arrival, Xi warned against the global consequences of trade protectionism:

“No one wins in trade wars and tariff wars. Protectionism is not a sustainable solution,” he wrote, emphasizing the importance of multilateral trade, supply chain stability, and an open, cooperative international environment.

Following Vietnam, Xi Jinping is set to visit Malaysia and Cambodia from April 15 to 18. All three countries—Vietnam (46%), Cambodia (49%), and Malaysia (24%)—are currently engaged in tariff reduction talks with the US, though China remains excluded from these negotiations due to strained relations with Washington.

Analysts say Xi’s Southeast Asia tour is timed to reaffirm China’s economic and political ties with its key trading partners in the region. All three nations hold significant positions in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and are essential to maintaining Beijing’s regional influence, especially as the US seeks to deepen its own partnerships through trade realignment.

With tensions between Beijing and Washington showing no signs of easing, Xi’s trip is seen as a counter-diplomatic maneuver to prevent further erosion of Chinese influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Further updates are expected following the conclusion of Xi’s meetings in Hanoi.

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