Chinese President Xi Jinping kicked off a diplomatic mission in Southeast Asia, emphasizing the need for regional unity and promoting free trade amidst growing tensions with the U.S. Starting in Vietnam, Xi is scheduled to visit Malaysia and Cambodia, aiming to bolster China's influence among key export-driven economies and counter what he described as "unilateral bullying." This diplomatic effort comes after Donald Trump's recent suspension of tariffs, which significantly affected Southeast Asian exporters. Trump viewed the China-Vietnam meeting as a plot against U.S. interests.