Chinese President Xi Jinping will embark on a visit to three Southeast Asian countries next week as his first overseas trip of the year. This is interpreted as an effort to strengthen diplomatic relations with neighboring countries amid escalating trade tensions with the United States.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China on the 11th, Xi is scheduled to make a state visit to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia from the 14th to the 18th. He will spend two days in Vietnam starting from the 14th, before heading to Malaysia and Cambodia, which are this year's rotating chair countries for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), from the 15th to the 18th.
Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in ASEAN, while Cambodia is a representative pro-China country in Southeast Asia. Malaysia has a high proportion of ethnic Chinese and maintains a neutral foreign policy between the U.S. and China.
This Southeast Asia visit marks Xi's first overseas trip of the year and comes amid escalating tensions with the United States following the re-election of President Donald Trump. There are analyses suggesting that China is strengthening ties with allied countries in response to U.S. pressure.