Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi on Monday, calling for unity against “unilateral bullying” by the U.S. tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. Xi’s visit, marked by a 21-cannon salute, comes as China positions itself as a stable trade partner amid what it calls "erratic U.S. policy" under President Donald Trump.
The U.S. recently imposed — and then paused — sweeping tariffs on countries including Vietnam, its top export partner. Xi urged Vietnam to uphold global supply chain stability and resist trade pressure. Meanwhile, Trump dismissed the talks, telling reporters: “I don’t blame China. I don’t blame Vietnam. They are trying to figure out how do we screw the United States of America,” adding that the European Union “was formed to hurt the United States on trade.” Xi’s trip marks his first overseas visit of the year, aimed at countering U.S. influence. You can find the complete press conference, here.
Related: How China used Vietnam to evade higher U.S. tariffs—Carlos Waters, CNBC
