Tue, 15 Apr 2025

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 China's Xi urges Vietnam to oppose 'bullying' as Trump mulls more tariffs

Trump called Xi's meeting with Vietnamese leaders a ploy to figure out how to 'screw' the US.

* Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on Vietnam to oppose "unilateral bullying" in a trade system, but did not mention the US by name.
* Xi's comments come as he embarks on a "charm offensive" trip across Southeast Asia, including visits to Malaysia and Cambodia.
* The trip takes on added significance amid a growing trade war between the US and China, with Vietnam previously facing US tariffs of up to 46%.
* US President Donald Trump has dismissed Xi's meeting with Vietnamese leaders as an attempt to figure out how to "screw the United States of America".
* Analysts say Xi's comments are a strategic move to position China as a defender of rules-based trade and cast the US as a rogue nation.
* The US has imposed tariffs of 145% on most Chinese imports, while Beijing has retaliated with its own 125% tariffs on American products.
* Vietnam will be careful not to be seen as colluding with China against the US, as the country relies heavily on trade with both nations.
* Xi is expected to continue portraying the US as unreliable and protectionist, while highlighting China's role in promoting global free trade.
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