After Vietnam and Malaysia, Chinese President Xi Jinping has concluded his southeast Asia tour in Cambodia – the country which exports clothing and footwear to the US and has been hit with a 49% tariff.
Interestingly, Cambodia’s export businesses are majorly owned by Chinese and both countries are very close partners.
Xi’s visit to three of the most strategic countries of southeast Asia is being received as a message to the US, amidst the tariff troubles.
Xi received a very warm welcome in Cambodia – China’s biggest trading partner.
The Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet, acknowledged China’s role in the socioeconomic development on the country.
He said that China and Cambodia have “common interests based on the principles of respect for sovereignty, equality, and noninterference in internal affairs”.
So far, no financial commitment has been made by China during the Cambodia visit.
Earlier, in Malaysia, Xi carried along a message that China is a much more reliable trade partner than the United States.
“In the face of external uncertainties, China will insist on shaking hands rather than shaking fists, tearing down walls instead of building barriers, connecting instead of decoupling,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told the media as Xi undertook the visit.
The visit to Malaysia was President Xi’s first visit to the country since 2013, and he very clearly delivered the message that China will stand by its Asian neighbors in the face of any global economic crisis, as is expected after Trump’s tariff measures.
Read More: China Eyes Closer Trade Ties with Vietnam
While in Vietnam, dozens of trade cooperation agreements were signed, on everything from artificial intelligence to rail development.
“As beneficiaries of economic globalization, both China and Vietnam should strengthen strategic resolve, jointly oppose unilateral bullying acts, uphold the global free trade system, and keep global industrial and supply chains stable,” said Xi while he was in Hanoi.
Nuzhat Rana is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
