Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Cambodia, completing a three-country tour across Southeast Asia aimed at strengthening regional ties and responding to growing tensions with the United States over trade and global influence.
Xi touched down in Phnom Penh on Thursday, where he was received with high honors in a rare protocol move—Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni personally welcomed him at the airport. The two leaders last met in China during the opening of the Asian Games in 2023.
The visit marks a major moment in China-Cambodia relations, with Xi calling the partnership solid and resilient amid shifting international dynamics. During his welcome remarks and in an article published in Cambodian newspapers, he referred to the two countries as having an “ironclad” friendship. He emphasized that China sees Cambodia as a central part of its neighborhood diplomacy and said Beijing aims to expand political trust and cooperation in diplomacy, defense, and development.
This Cambodian stop is the final leg of Xi’s regional tour, which also took him to Vietnam and Malaysia. Throughout the trip, Xi promoted a consistent message: China and its regional neighbors must work together to resist foreign interference, reject economic protectionism, and support a world order that includes multiple powers instead of being dominated by one. In both Vietnam and Malaysia, he made similar statements pushing back against US influence in the region.
China’s push to deepen regional ties comes as tensions with the United States continue to rise. President Donald Trump’s administration recently announced steep new tariffs on most Chinese goods—some reaching up to 145%—and is pressing regional allies to reduce their business with Chinese companies. A 90-day pause on some of the tariffs has created a temporary window, but fears of long-term economic decoupling between the two superpowers remain strong.
Xi’s remarks appeared aimed at countering this pressure. He said China and Cambodia should oppose what he described as “external forces” attempting to interfere in internal matters or create division. He also encouraged continued cooperation on industrial and supply chains, areas where China remains deeply involved in Cambodia’s economy as its largest trading partner and investor.
In his planned meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Xi is expected to discuss closer coordination in political and strategic matters. Cambodian officials praised the visit as a reflection of the countries’ long-standing and growing relationship.
Xi’s Southeast Asia tour highlights Beijing’s determination to maintain and expand its regional partnerships at a time of intensifying global power competition. By wrapping up the trip in Cambodia, China is signaling that smaller nations in the region are key players in its broader vision of an interconnected and multipolar world.