Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Southeast Asia tour highlighted China’s commitment to free trade and regional cooperation, as key agreements were signed with Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia.
During his Southeast Asia tour this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping defended the global free trade system and positioned China as a source of regional stability and certainty. His visit opened the door for key agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation and deepening economic ties with neighbouring countries.
In Vietnam, President Xi was welcomed with a grand reception in Hanoi, where he held talks with Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam. Their discussions centred on reinforcing economic collaboration and preserving free trade. Xi also visited the tomb of Ho Chi Minh, the founder of the Vietnamese Communist Party.
Emphasising the importance of strategic partnership, Xi called for China and Vietnam to jointly benefit from economic globalisation. Both nations signed agreements on supply chains and railway infrastructure, while China pledged to facilitate greater access for Vietnamese agricultural products to its domestic market.
Xi’s official tour then took him to Malaysia and Cambodia. In Malaysia, discussions were held over expanding free trade agreements within ASEAN, with Malaysia currently chairing the organisation. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn noted that the agreement would involve tariff reductions and broader trade cooperation.
China continues to invest heavily in Malaysia through its Belt and Road Initiative, including the country’s largest infrastructure project — an $11.2 billion railway. China also remains Malaysia’s top trading partner.
The tour underlines China’s strategic goal of reinforcing its regional influence, particularly as it faces new U.S. tariffs. Xi presented China as a ‘responsible’ global power in the face of shifting economic landscapes. Nevertheless, longstanding territorial disputes in the South China Sea remain a sensitive issue, generating tensions between China, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told parliamentarians that ordinary Iranians are paying a heavy price for the conflict that began on Saturd...
Georgia has cancelled international tenders for the construction of major road sections that form part of a regional highway linking the country wi...
At least six people have died after a bus caught fire in Kerzers, Switzerland, in what police say may have been a deliberate act. Witnesses reporte...
A 35-year-old woman was charged with attempted murder on Tuesday (10 March) after allegedly firing a semi-automati...
Australia has granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women footballers who sought asylum, fearing persecution after refusing to sing their nati...
China’s top leadership has unveiled a new push to turn advanced technologies into large-scale industrial priorities as part of the country’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, which will guide economic and social development from 2026 to 2030.
U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to China from 31 March to 2 April, the White House has confirmed, for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping as a U.S. Supreme Court ruling reshapes his tariff policy.
China will offer firm support for "patriotic pro-reunification forces" in Taiwan and strike hard against "separatists", the top Chinese official in charge of policy towards the democratically-governed island said on Tuesday (10 February).
Hong Kong’s most prominent media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday (9 February) to a total of 20 years in prison on national security charges. The verdict covers two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count related to publishing seditious materials.
Tensions in the region remained high on Tuesday (10 March), as the United States and Iran exchanged increasingly sharp warnings, including threats over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Almost 2,000 people have been evacuated from Iran via Azerbaijan since conflict erupted in the Middle East.
Global oil prices reached a four year high on Monday (9 March), surpassing $119 a barrel, as conflict in the Middle East rumbled on. Meanwhile, the Turkish Military said NATO air defence systems destroyed a missile fired from Iran towards the country.
U.S. President Donald Trump called his recent phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very good.” The two leaders spoke on Monday about the situation in Iran and other international issues.
The first batch of Peter Mandelson’s papers on his 2024 ambassadorial appointment is set to be published on Wednesday, following a parliamentary order. The release comes amid police investigations over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
At least six people have died after a bus caught fire in Kerzers, Switzerland, in what police say may have been a deliberate act. Witnesses reported a man inside the vehicle set himself alight. Three others were injured and taken to hospital, while authorities continue their investigation.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 11th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Four people have sustained varying degrees of injuries after two drones fell near Dubai's International Airport on Wednesday, as Iran and Israel continue to exchange missile and drone strikes across the Middle East - all the latest updates throughout the day on AnewZ.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, has addressed the U.N. Security Council, saying the world must consider how effective its engagement with the Taliban-run country is as millions face hunger.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment