The idea of the “Asian family” was promoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping by calling for regional unity during a tour of Southeast Asia in an obvious attempt to tackle government pressure Donald Trump to Member States to limit trade ties with the Beijing.
Si landed in Knom Penh today (17.04.2025), starting the last part of his tour of three nations, as the Trump government is preparing to seek the cooperation of the commercial partners in the isolation of Beijing.
The Chinese leader emphasized solidarity in his speech at a state -run dinner in Malaysia a day earlier, when the two nations signed wide agreements in a sign of financial ties.
“China and Malaysia will stand on the side of the countries in the area to combat underground currents of geopolitical confrontation and conflict,” Si told the Malaysian Capital of Putrajaya. “Together we will preserve the brilliant prospects of our Asian family.”
This diplomatic impulse was reinforced by a joint statement released on Thursday, in which China and Malaysia agreed to boost cooperation in industry, supply chains, data and talent. They pledged to implement the five-year program of economic and commercial cooperation and to build a “high-level Malaysia Strategic Community”.
In another side reference to the US, the Chinese leader reiterated his call to fight unilateral action in an article published Thursday in Cambodia’s media before arriving in the capital.
“Together we have to dwell against hegemony, power politics,” he wrote, adding that the two neighbors “should” decisively oppose any attempt to intervene in our internal affairs, to sow discord. “
Si’s comments came as Beijing faces a scaled trade war with the US. Bloomberg News said Washington is preparing to ask countries to take steps to limit China’s productive power, including the imposition of so -called secondary duties on Chinese products, in exchange for tariff concessions.
Both China and the US seem to “sharpen their knives” after Trump increased contributions to Chinese products by up to 145% and Beijing reimbursed about 125% to imports from the US.
Si made Southeast Asia the destination for his first trip abroad for the year, as he seeks to prevent countries from concluding agreements with the US at the expense of his nation. Despite suspension of 90 days, Trump’s threats to drastic duties have forced many governments to the region to follow an increasingly thinner line between the two forces.
In a demonstration of Si’s early diplomatic success, China’s Foreign Ministry published a reading indicating that it has full support of Malaysia. Prime Minister Anuar Ibrahim praised Si as a “outstanding leader” and expressed his opposition to the independence of Taiwan, the self -governing democracy claiming Beijing.
Anuar also said that members of the Southeast Asia Union Union “will not support unilateral trade duties”, as its nation holds the rotation presidency of the Union, according to the Chinese statement.
Si’s regional tour began in Vietnam on Monday, when the Vietnamese leaders warmly welcomed SI and signed 45 agreements to deepen the financial links.
Hanoi issued a joint statement by saying that the two sides “oppose unilateral action” and any actions that endanger peripheral peace and stability – largely observing the language it had used in the past.