China’s leader Xi Jinping started a week of diplomacy in Southeast Asia with a visit to Vietnam, signaling China’s commitment to global trade.

The message Xi is sending on his tour is loud and clear. China is seeking to capitalize on the Trump administration’s truculence to cast itself as the world’s preferred trading partner.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will embark on a week-long trip to shore up ties with regional trade partners on Monday, China's foreign ministry says. Xi will visit Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia, seeking to stabilize China's trade ties following President Donald Trump's massive tariff hike.