During his visit, Xi Urges Cambodia to Shun Protectionism Amid US Tariff Tensions

[geovalin]

Here, with the King Sihamony, Xinhua

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on Cambodia to "resist protectionism" as both nations navigate rising trade tensions with the United States, wrapping up a tour of Southeast Asia with a visit heavy on symbolism but light on substance.

 

Arriving in Phnom Penh on Thursday, Xi praised the “ironclad friendship” between China and Cambodia while urging a united front against what he described as “hegemonism” and protectionist policies—thinly veiled references to recent US tariffs. Cambodia, a key exporter of garments and footwear to the US, has been hit with one of the world’s highest tariff rates at 49 per cent. While many of these duties are paused until July, China faces a combined 145 per cent in tariffs.

 

Xi’s visit comes amid cooling Chinese investment in the region. Despite past pledges of support, Beijing signed no new loans to Cambodia last year. Hopes that China would fully fund the $1.7 billion Funan Techo Canal remain in question, with Phnom Penh shifting its message from full backing to partial support covering just under half of the project’s cost.

 

Still, Cambodia appears eager to keep China close. “We expect more cooperation including on infrastructure,” said finance ministry spokesman Meas Soksensan. But no fresh financing was announced, despite Xi’s public support for Cambodia’s development.

 

The visit also touched on a thornier issue—Chinese-run online scams operating from Cambodian soil. Xi urged a crackdown, echoing Beijing’s long-standing concern over criminal networks that have lured Chinese citizens into fraud schemes or forced labour. Ahead of Xi’s arrival, Cambodia deported a number of alleged Chinese criminals, including some from Taiwan—drawing Beijing’s praise and Taipei’s ire.

 

Xi was greeted along Phnom Penh’s roads by cheering crowds waving Chinese flags, in scenes broadcast widely on social media. Yet behind the public displays of friendship, many observers noted the absence of concrete outcomes.

 

“Lots of flags, lots of MoUs and lots of bromances, probably not a lot of substance,” quipped one Western diplomat based in Cambodia.

 

As Washington’s tariff stance casts a shadow over Asia’s economies, Xi’s message is clear: China wants allies who will echo its opposition to US-led trade pressure. Whether Cambodia gains more than warm words from that alliance remains to be seen.

 

-2025-04-18