China’s Xi Begins Malaysia Visit in Shadow of Trump Tariffs

Xi Jinping reaffirms China’s support for ASEAN centrality in Malaysia as Southeast Asia braces for the economic fallout of Trump’s latest tariff escalation.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the airport in Kuala Lumpur on April 15, 2025. Image via @anwaribrahim.

By Isabelle Leong, with Matthew Walsh in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday for a highly anticipated state visit that comes as Beijing fights an escalating trade war with the United States.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Agence France-Presse

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
3
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths
4
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
5
Thailand in Last-Minute U.S. Talks as 36% Tariff Looms
6 Trump’s Contradictory Iran Strategy Leaves U.S. Weaker After War’s End, Says Chinese Commentator

You Might Like

+62 822-4454-0615

Xi Warns Protectionism ‘Leads Nowhere’ as He Arrives in Vietnam

Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned that protectionism “leads nowhere” and that a trade war would have “no winners”, state media said, as he arrived in Vietnam on Monday on the first leg of ...

China’s Xi Meets Malaysian Leaders in Diplomatic Charm Offensive

By Isabelle LEONG Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Malaysia’s king Wednesday in a state visit analysts said was aimed at burnishing Beijing’s credentials as a reliable partner and “not a hegemon.” ...

Will Southeast Asia Tilt Toward China?

President Xi Jinping is trying to present China as a more stable, reliable partner than the United States during his ongoing three-nation, week-long tour of Southeast Asia. The presumption here is that as the ...

China’s Xi Meets Malaysian Leaders, Vows to ‘Safeguard’ Asia Allies

By Isabelle Leong President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged greater cooperation with Malaysia in the face of “shocks to the global order”, during the Chinese leader’s regional tour against the backdrop of a ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP