BEIJING – China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi launches a three-nation Southeast Asia tour on April 22, aiming to fortify alliances with Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar as Beijing positions itself against U.S. tariff threats and instability.
Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun announced the April 22-26 trip, labeling the nations “friendly neighbors” navigating “risks and challenges” during profound global shifts. China seeks to contrast its reliability with President Donald Trump’s erratic policies, following last week’s high-profile visits from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Vietnamese leader To Lam.
In Cambodia, Wang and Defence Minister Dong Jun meet Prime Minister Hun Manet and former leader Hun Sen in Phnom Penh on April 22. As Cambodia’s top trade partner and investor, highlighted by President Xi Jinping’s 2025 tour, the discussions underscore deepening economic bonds.
The tour targets nations at “critical development stages.” Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing assumed the presidency this April, while Thailand’s parliament named Anutin Charnvirakul prime minister in March. Charnvirakul welcomed an “open agenda” in Bangkok, urging China to buy more rice, fruits, and boost investments.
Beijing eyes expanded regional influence, leveraging recent government formations to counter U.S. pressures and advance mutual prosperity.