Chinese President Xi Jinping touched down in Phnom Penh today, Thursday, April 17, kicking off a two-day state visit to Cambodia, the final stop in a Southeast Asia tour that also included Vietnam and Malaysia.

The tour is taking place against the backdrop of escalating tariff wars and sharp rhetoric from US President Donald Trump, who accused the region of “trying to figure out how to screw the United States”.

During the visit, Xi is scheduled to have separate Royal Audiences with His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni and Her Majesty Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, the Queen-Mother, at the Royal Palace, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

“XI will also meet with Senate president Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet, to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest,” said a statement from the ministry.

“This is a milestone visit which will further cement the traditional relations of friendship built by the successive leaders of both countries. It will add great significance to the ironclad friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations,” it added.

Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin told Xinhua yesterday that two-way trade reached $17.83 billion in 2024, with agricultural exports boosting Cambodian incomes.

China remains the Kingdom’s top investor, particularly in infrastructure and energy, with Chinese-built power plants now supplying over 60 per cent of Cambodia's electricity.

Key Belt and Road Investment projects like the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and Siem Reap Angkor International Airport are also aimed at spurring economic growth.

According to the Asia Development Bank (ADB)’s Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2025, in 2024, trade between China and Cambodia reached a record high of $15.19 billion, marking a 23.8 per cent increase from the previous year.

“Cambodia imported $13.44 billion worth of goods from China, while its exports to China totalled $1.75 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $11.69 billion,” said the report.

Trump’s administration placed extraordinarily high “reciprocal tariffs” on the three countries Xi ia visiting on his tour, with Malaysia hit with 24 per cent tariffs on all exports to the US, while Vietnam and Cambodia were staring down the barrel of 46 and 49 per cent tariffs respectively, before Trump announced a 90-day pause. It is unclear whether ongoing negotiations will stay the tariffs even longer or reduce them.

The US had already placed steep tariffs — reaching as high as 100 per cent — on certain Chinese products even before Trump began introducing additional duties this year. With the new tariffs totalling 145 per cent added on top of the existing ones, some Chinese goods are now subject to tariffs as high as 245 per cent.

Trump was watching Xi’s tour closely, commenting in an interview with CNN that he believed the tour was a chance to “screw” the US.

“I don’t blame China; I don’t blame Vietnam. I don’t. I see they’re meeting today. Isn’t that wonderful? That’s a lovely meeting. The meeting, like, trying to figure out how do we screw the United States of America,” said the 78-year-old convicted felon, during an April 14 interview.

This visit marks Xi’s second trip to Cambodia during his time in power, following his first visit in 2016.

Just hours before his visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a statement to the Cambodian people.

He called for elevating China-Cambodia relations by strengthening political trust, strategic coordination and people-to-people exchanges, according to the release.

He reaffirmed China’s firm support for Cambodia’s sovereignty and independent development path, while urging deeper cooperation in areas like defence, green development and cultural heritage.

The Chinese leader also emphasised the importance of aligning China’s Belt and Road Initiative with Cambodia’s Pentagonal Strategy to advance shared modernisation goals and regional stability.

“China firmly supports Cambodia in independently choosing a development path that suits its own conditions,” Xi said.

Xi Jinping is visiting Cambodia as part of his latest Southeast Asian tour, which also includes Vietnam and Malaysia. TVK