China’s Xi calls for UN, multilateral systems to be upheld on Southeast Asia trip

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KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – China’s President Xi Jinping called for support for the international system centred around the United Nations, trade and the rule of law as he continued on a Southeast Asian tour amid a sharp deterioration in China-U.S. relations. 

Xi is in Malaysia as part of a three-nation Southeast Asian trip that includes Vietnam and Cambodia, to consolidate ties with some of China’s closest neighbours as trade tensions with the United States escalate.

In an opinion piece published by Malaysia’s English language daily The Star on Tuesday, Xi said a United Nations-centred international system underpinned by international law was crucial to “promote fairer and more equitable global governance”. 

“We must uphold the multilateral trading system, keep global industrial and supply chains stable, and maintain an international environment of openness and cooperation,” Xi said. 

Xi’s comments come after U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office in January, shocked markets by imposing sweeping tariffs on countries across the world. While some of the tariffs have since been delayed, Beijing faces 145% duties.

As part of his “America First” policy, Trump has also pulled the U.S. out of the World Health Organization, hollowed out USAID and halted international aid.  

China has said it is “tearing down walls” and expanding its circle of trading partners amid the trade war.  

With an additional tariff of 24% on goods shipped to the U.S., Malaysia was among several Southeast Asian nations facing hefty U.S. levies before Trump announced his 90-day pause. Malaysian officials have begun reaching out to the U.S. for a reprieve.  

Xi said China will work with Malaysia and other countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc to “combat the undercurrents of geopolitical and camp-based confrontation” and “countercurrents of unilateralism and protectionism”.

China and Malaysia must proceed with their cooperation under Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative as well as other transport infrastructure investments, Xi said. 

Last June, China said it was willing to study a plan to connect Malaysia’s $10-billion East Coast Rail Link with other China-backed railway projects in Laos and Thailand, potentially expanding the BRI across Southeast Asia. 

Xi said China also welcomes more high-quality Malaysian agricultural products into the Chinese market, China’s state-run CCTV reported on Wednesday following Xi’s meeting with Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim.

Xi will meet Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim later on Wednesday and more agreements between China and Malaysia are expected to be signed. 

China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner since 2009, with total trade valued at 484.1 billion ringgit ($109.65 billion) last year, according to Malaysia’s foreign ministry. 

($1 = 4.4150 ringgit)

(Reporting by Danial Azhar; Editing by Kate Mayberry)