The trade war between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is in full swing, with the Trump administration imposing a 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods (with a notable exemption for consumer electronics), and Beijing responding with tit-for-tat relation.

This may not be what Beijing asked for, but the PRC is not one to pass up an opportunity. China is now seeking alternate economic partnerships to fill the void left by the American tariffs, including in a region that’s conveniently much closer geographically speaking: Southeast Asia.

China Looks to Southeast Asia

As Andrew Salmon of The Washington Times wrote in an April 18, 2025 article titled “Amid U.S. tariff shock, Xi paints China as a reliable partner, woos Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia”:

“China’s huge economy and its Belt and Road Initiative, which develops massive infrastructure projects worldwide, largely in the developing world, offer Beijing powerful diplomatic-economic heft in both trade and investment … When tariffs were announced on April 2, Vietnam was hit with 46% duties, Malaysia with 24% and Cambodia with 49%. All have since been temporarily slashed to 10%, providing negotiating space in the weeks ahead.”

Accordingly, Chinese president Xi Jinping embarked on a tour of those three nations to........

© The National Interest