Annabelle Liang
Journalist
Getty images
XI started his trip to Southeast Asia in Vietnam
Chinese President Xi Jinping called Vietnam to oppose “unilateral intimidation” to the maintenance of a global free trade system-although he has stopped appointing the United States.
He then comes that XI is on a so-called “charming offensive” trip through Southeast Asia, which will also see him visit Malaysia and Cambodia.
Although the trip has been planned for a long time, it has taken on increased meaning following a growing trade war between the United States and China. Vietnam was faced at American prices of up to 46% before the Trump administration issued a 90 -day break last week.
US President Donald Trump described the XI meeting of Vietnamese leaders a ploy to understand how to “kiss the United States of America”.
According to the State media, Xinhua, Xi told the secretary general of the Communist Party of Vietnam to “jointly oppose unilateral intimidation”.
“We must strengthen strategic resolution … and maintain the stability of the global free trade system as well as industrial and supply chains,” he said.
Stephen Olson, a former American commercial negotiator, said that XI comments were “a very clever tactical decision”.
“While Trump seems determined to explode the trade system, XI positions China as a defender of the rules based on rules, while painting the United States as a reckless rogue nation,” he added.
Addressing journalists at the office oval, Trump said that he did not “blame” China or Vietnam, but alleged that they were focusing on how to harm in the United States.
“It’s a great meeting. A meeting like, trying to understand, how to screw the United States of America?” said Trump.
The two largest economies in the world are locked in a growing trade battle, the Trump administration putting 145% tariffs on most Chinese imports earlier this month. Beijing later responded with its own 125% tariffs on American products in China.
On Saturday, an American customs opinion revealed that smartphones, computers and certain other electronic devices would be excluded from the 125% rate on goods entering the country from China.
But Trump then sounded on social networks saying that there was no exemption for these products and called such reports on this false opinion. Instead, he said that “they just move to another” bucket “price.
A “gold opportunity” for XI
XI arrived in Hanoi on Monday, where he was welcomed by wishes by waving Chinese and Vietnamese flags.
He then met the senior Vietnamese officials, including the secretary general of the country and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Earlier Tuesday, XI visited the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum to participate in a crowning ceremony instead of the former Vietnamese founder and communist leader.
Despite XI’s visit, Vietnam will be careful to “manage the perception that it is collusion with China against the United States, because the United States is too important a partner to put aside,” said Susannah Patton, director of the Southeast Asia program to the Lowy Institute reflection group.
“In many ways, China is an economic competitor as well as an economic partner for the economies of Southeast Asia,” she added.
XI has now left Vietnam and will arrive in Malaysia later Tuesday. He should meet the king of the country, as well as his Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
This occurs when the Malaysian mobile data services company U Mobile said that it would deploy the country’s second 5G network using Huawei and ZTE infrastructure technology in China.
Ms. Patton expects Xi to continue to represent the United States as “a partner who is not reliable (and) protectionist”.
Meanwhile, he is likely to “represent China in contrast that striking as a partner who is there,” she added.
“Now, it’s really a golden opportunity for China to mark this narrative victory. I think that is how Xi’s visit to Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia will be seen.”
