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

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) speaks with Vietnam's President Luong Cuong (R) as he arrives for a two-day state visit at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport on April 14, 2025. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha / POOL / AFP)

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 a Southeast Asia tour.

Xi will visit Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia on his first overseas trip of the year as Beijing seeks to tighten regional trade ties and offset the impact of huge tariffs unleashed by his US counterpart Donald Trump.

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