Xi Jinping seeks to strengthen economic ties during tour of south-east Asia

The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, will visit Vietnam on Monday as he begins a tour of south-east Asia where he will seek to strengthen ties with neighbouring countries amid an escalating trade war. Xi will visit Vietnam from Monday, before travelling to Malaysia and Cambodia, a high profile tour that Chinese officials have described as being of "major importance". China will probably use the visit to emphasise that it is a stable partner - contrasting itself with Washington which imposed, then suspended, punishing tariffs across south-east Asia, an export-reliant region, in an announcement that sent shockwaves through global markets. Vietnam,…