Chinese President Xi Jinping called for expanded industrial and supply chain cooperation with Vietnam and additional collaboration in emerging sectors during a visit that began Monday, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The president, who is undertaking a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia, started his state visit in Vietnam from April 14 to 15. The initiative comes amid renewed trade tensions with the United States following a recent tariff increase on U.S. imports.

China raised its tariffs on U.S. goods to 125 per cent on April 11 in response to a tariff policy implemented by the U.S. administration. The adjustment targets American products and is part of China’s broader response to ongoing trade disputes.

In a statement published in Vietnamese media, Xi Jinping outlined the need to bolster regional initiatives, citing the East Asia Cooperation and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation as examples. He stressed that such measures would help maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains while upholding the multilateral trading system.

Xi stated that trade and tariff conflicts do not produce benefits for any party. His remarks came as China engaged with partners via video calls with the European Union, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and representatives from the G20 and BRICS nations. These discussions are part of efforts to counterbalance pressures from U.S. negotiations.

In related developments, Vietnamese authorities are preparing to enforce stricter controls on Chinese exports to the United States. Officials have indicated plans to regulate sensitive shipments to China in an effort to mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs.

The Chinese leader also noted that his administration is open to receiving higher quality imports from Vietnam and encouraged Chinese enterprises to invest in the Southeast Asian country. He called for the expansion of cooperation in fields such as 5G technology, artificial intelligence, and green development.