China, Vietnam sign agreements after Xi warns protectionism ‘leads nowhere’

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Hanoi: China and Vietnam signed dozens of cooperation agreements on Monday, after which Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned that protectionism “guides” and “there will be no winner” in the trade war.

The XI is in Vietnam for the first phase of the visit to Southeast Asia, as Beijing tries to present itself as a stable alternative to a stable US President Donald Trump, who announced – and then mostly – the sweeping revenue has been cleared.

The Chinese president was welcomed on Monday, with 21 Canon salutes, a guard of honor and rows of children riding in the presidential palace, before talking to Vietnam leaders, including Lam’s general secretary.

The two neighbors signed 45 cooperation agreements, including the development of the supply chain, AI, joint maritime patrols and railways.

XI’s visit to the United States has come almost two weeks after the United States – in the first three months of the year, Vietnam’s largest export market – 46 % of levies slapped on Vietnamese goods as part of global trade bullets.

Although Vietnam and most other countries have been withheld mutual prices, China is still facing a lot of levies and is trying to tighten regional trade relations and meet its effects during the first overseas travel of the year.

Beijing has said that XI will leave Vietnam on Tuesday, and travel to Malaysia and Cambodia on the visit, which is “very important” to the wider region.

Speaking during a meeting with Lam, XI said that Vietnam and China “stood at a crucial point in history … and they should move forward with shared hands”.

XI had previously called on the two countries to fully protect the “multilateral trade system, stable global industrial and supply chains, and open and cooperative international environment”.

He also reaffirmed the Beijing line that in an article published in the newspaper in Vietnam’s largest official Nine Dean on Monday, “trade war and tariff war will not create any winner, and protectionism will not take anywhere”.

Vietnam’s Lam said in an article published on the government’s news portal on Monday that his country was “always ready to join China to cooperate between the two countries so that more important, deep, balanced and sustainable”.

‘Bamboo Diplomacy’

Vietnam was the largest buyer of Chinese goods in Southeast Asia in 2024, with a bill of $ 161.9 billion, followed by Chinese imports to Malaysia $ 101.5 billion.

Establishing relations with Southeast Asian neighboring countries can also help to meet the effects of the largest Chinese goods, the largest Chinese goods last year.

XI is visiting Vietnam for the first time since December 2023.

China and Vietnam, both, under the rule of the Communist parties, already share the “comprehensive strategic partnership”, which is Hanoi’s highest diplomatic status.

Vietnam has long chased the “bamboo diplomacy” perspective – which has been trying to stick to good terms with both China and the United States.

The two countries have close economic relations, but Hanoi shares US concerns about the growing claim of Beijing in South China in the South China Sea.

Almost all of China claims its own all China, but it has a dispute with the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Brunei.

The Chinese leader insisted in his article on Monday that Beijing and Hanoi could resolve these conflicts through dialogue.

“We must properly manage differences in our region and protect peace and stability,” said Xi.

“With vision, we are able to properly resolve the maritime issues through consultation and negotiations,” he said.

Vietnam’s Lam said in his article that “the current complex and unexpected international and regional situation is a joint effort to overcome and resolve satisfactory.”

After Vietnam, XI will visit Malaysia from Tuesday to Thursday.

Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fudziel said the visit to XI was “part of the government’s efforts […] To see better trade relations with different countries, including China. “

XI will then travel to Cambodia, one of the tough allies in China in Southeast Asia, and where Beijing has increased its influence in recent years.