Xi Jinping, Southeast Asia, castigates protectionism that does not « lead anywhere »-Liberation
Chinese President Xi Jinping denounced protectionism that « Do not lead anywhere »at the beginning Monday of a tour in Southeast Asia intended to strengthen the commercial relations of Beijing, In the midst of a customs war with Washington. « No winner » cannot emerge from such a commercial conflict, said the head of state, according to the news agency China Nouvelle.
Vietnamwhere he arrived on Monday, is the first step in his tour, before Malaysia and then Cambodia. In particular, it aims to compensate for the impact of prohibitive customs duties decreed by US President Donald Trump against Chinese products. Xi Jinping must meet its three counterparts in Southeast Asia during the trip, which « Ensures major importance » For the region, said Beijing.
His visit aims to make China appear as a trusted partner, stable, unlike the United States who launched an all -out commercial offensive by means of new customs duties – including against their economic partners. « Our two countries must firmly preserve the multilateral trade system, the stability of industrial and global supply chains as well as an international openness and cooperation environment »wrote the Chinese president to the United States, in an article published by the Vietnamese newspaper Nhan Danquoted by China Nouvelle. « A trade war and a tariff war produce no winner, and protectionism does not lead anywhere »said Xi Jinping.
American customs duties have been set for Chinese products at 145 %, excluding exemptions. A measure that has shaken the world markets and leads Beijing to retaliate. The Southeast Asia Place is central for Chinese exports: last year, the countries of the regional block, the ASEAN, were their first recipients with $ 586.5 billion in total, according to Chinese customs data.
Among them, Vietnam is distinguished with $ 161.9 billion in Chinese imports, followed by Malaysia (101.5 billion). Firming links with its Southeast Asian neighbors could help Beijing counterbalance the effects of the United States’s commercial offensive, the first importing country of Chinese products in 2024. Xi Jinping will be in Vietnam until Tuesday. The country of Southeast Asia, led as China by a communist party, has long been leading a « Bamboo diplomacy »which consists in maintaining good relationships with both the Asian giant and Washington.
Beijing and Hanoi have close economic relations. They are however parasitized by the territorial disputes which they maintain in the Sea of southern China, in the archipelago of paracels. China claims almost all of the islets of the Southern China Sea, facing other resident countries (Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia) with rival claims.
Xi Jinping assured on Monday in the Vietnamese newspaper that Beijing and Hanoi were able to resolve these disputes through dialogue. « We should manage disputes appropriately and safeguard peace and stability in our region »he wrote, according to China Nouvelle. « Thanks to our vision, we are entirely able to correctly settle maritime issues by consultation and negotiation. »
After Vietnam, Xi Jinping will go to Malaysia from Tuesday to Thursday. Malaysian Minister of Communications, Fahmi Fadzil, said that the Chinese president’s visit « Was part of government initiatives (…) to improve trade relations with various countries, including China ». Xi Jinping will then go to Cambodia, a faithful partner of China in Southeast Asia on Thursday.
