Visits to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia
President Xi Embarks on First Overseas Trip of the Year
Amid escalating US-China trade tensions, Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to embark on a tour of three Southeast Asian countries next week.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 11th, President Xi is scheduled to make a state visit to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia from the 14th to the 18th.
He will visit Vietnam for two days starting on the 14th, and from the 15th to the 18th, he will stay in Malaysia and Cambodia, the rotating chair countries of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) this year.
This will be President Xi's first overseas trip of the year, and analysts suggest it is aimed at strengthening ties with allied countries amid expanding conflicts with the United States following President Donald Trump's re-election.
Vietnam is China's largest trading partner within ASEAN. Cambodia is classified as a representative pro-China country in Southeast Asia. Malaysia, with a high proportion of ethnic Chinese population, maintains a neutral diplomatic stance between the US and China.
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