As China’s President Xi Jinping wraps up his week-long charm offensive in Southeast Asia, the region teeters on a precarious balance between two global powerhouses. Will his efforts to portray China as a responsible power amidst US trade turmoil prove successful or merely a fleeting moment of respite?
The recent charm offensive by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Southeast Asia has left many wondering about the implications of his visit. As he wrapped up his week-long tour, which included stops in Vietnam and Malaysia, Xi Jinping projected China as a responsible power amidst the global trade turmoil caused by US tariffs.
Xi Jinping was born on June 15, 1953, in Beijing, China.
He rose through the Communist Party ranks to become President of China in 2013 and General Secretary of the Communist Party in 2012.
Xi has implemented significant economic reforms, including the Belt and Road Initiative, a massive infrastructure project connecting China with other countries.
He has also strengthened China's military presence and promoted a more assertive foreign policy.
The international trade system is in disarray due to the actions of US President Donald Trump, who launched his tariff onslaught on April 2. The tariff turmoil has hit trade and investment flows as well as financial markets, with most countries predicting a major global economic downturn. Several agencies have cut their growth forecasts for the region this year.
China’s response to the US tariffs has been multifaceted. On one hand, Xi Jinping has been pushing on an ‘open door,’ portraying China as a force for economic stability and multilateralism. He has emphasized the importance of joint cooperation between China and Southeast Asian states in the face of global challenges. However, critics argue that this approach may be perceived as a ploy to counter US pressure.
Xi’s visit to Vietnam was marked by the signing of 45 new cooperation agreements between the two countries. While these agreements were significant, they came with little substantive detail, leaving many to question the true intentions behind Xi’s visit. The Vietnamese government has been cautious in its response to China’s overtures, resisting Beijing’s attempts to shape the narrative.
In Malaysia, Xi spoke about standing together against ‘shocks to global order and economic globalization.’ He also signed several cooperation deals and called for advancing discussions on a free trade agreement between China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc. However, the Malaysian Prime Minister’s frosty relationship with the US over its support for Israel in the Gaza War has raised questions about the sincerity of Xi’s visit.
Xi’s visit to Cambodia, a country heavily reliant on trade with both China and the US, was seen as significant. However, the country’s commitment to reducing tariffs on most imports of US goods and scrapping all duties on US imports has been met with skepticism by some. The US has accused Vietnam of being ‘essentially a colony of communist China’ due to its role in transshipping Chinese goods.
The outcome of Xi’s visit remains uncertain, as it is unclear whether his efforts will help or hinder the three Southeast Asian states as they navigate their relationships with the US. While some argue that Xi’s charm offensive may give Southeast Asian states more bargaining power, others claim that Trump’s administration may view this as a reason to ‘rebalance and try to backtrack’ in the region.
Ultimately, the future of China’s relations with Southeast Asia will depend on the ability of both sides to find common ground. As the world teeters on the edge of a new era of global trade, it remains to be seen whether Xi Jinping‘s charm offensive will prove successful or merely a fleeting moment of respite from the uncertainty that surrounds us all.
