CHINA’S XI HAILS ‘NEW GOLDEN ERA’ ON TRIP TO MALAYSIA

Thu 17 April 2025:

The Chinese president has been continuing a tour of Southeast Asia, as he seeks to court countries hit hard by Trump’s tariff threats.

Malaysia, Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy, was targeted with a 24 percent tariff by the Trump administration, while Vietnam, a manufacturing powerhouse, was slapped with 46 percent tariffs and Cambodia, a significant producer of low-cost clothing for big Western brands, was hit with a 49 percent duty.

The tariffs have since been “paused” by Trump for 90 days. Malaysia is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“In the face of shocks to global order and economic globalisation, China and Malaysia will stand with countries in the region to combat the undercurrents of geopolitical … confrontation, as well as the counter-currents of unilateralism and protectionism,” Xi said in remarks at a dinner with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

“Together we will safeguard the bright prospects of our Asian family,” he added.

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Trump tariffs push Malaysia and China closer together

Rob McBride reporting from Putrajaya, Malaysia

Chinese President Xi Jinping was welcomed into Malaysia, the second stop on his mission to bolster relations with Asian neighbours amid his country’s deepening trade war with the US.

Although not subject to the same punishing tariffs as China, Malaysia initially faced tariffs of 24 percent on all exports, now temporarily suspended.

It seems to have pushed Malaysia into seeking closer economic ties with its biggest trading partner.

“Amid this turbulence, China has been a rational, strong and reliable partner,” said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. “Malaysia values this consistency. Malaysia will remain an unwavering and principled friend to China.”

And China is eager to find as many friends as it can in its looming trade war.

“China and Malaysia will stand with countries in the region to combat the undercurrents of geopolitical and camp-based confrontation, as well as the countercurrent of unilateralism and protectionism,” Xi said. “And together we will safeguard the bright prospects of our Asian family.”

Malaysia has deep cultural and economic ties with China going back decades. And Xi first visited here in 2013, just after becoming president. Since then, Malaysia has benefitted from extensive infrastructure investments through China’s so-called Belt and Road Initiative.

“I think China has always been having this diplomacy around this region, especially with the Belt and Road Initiative,” said Kamles Kumar, the Malaysia country lead with the consulting firm Asia Group Advisors. “They’ve done mega projects around the region, and I think, especially with Trump coming in, their focus is fairly shifted towards this region.”

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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