China's President Xi Jinping (centre, R) and Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (centre, L) react as they look at the performance by the children before dinner at the official residence of the prime minister on Wednesday —AFP KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 16 (AFP): Chinese President Xi Jinping met Malaysia's king on Wednesday in a state visit analysts said was aimed at burnishing Beijing's credentials as a reliable partner and "not a hegemon".
Xi embarked this week on a Southeast Asia tour that has already taken him to Vietnam and will also include Cambodia, with Beijing trying to position itself as a stable alternative to US President Donald Trump's punitive tariff regime.
Xi was welcomed by Malaysia's king, Sultan Ibrahim, in a colourful ceremony at the golden-domed palace on Wednesday.
The Chinese leader walked on a red carpet as he inspected an honour guard on the sprawling palace grounds as a Malaysian royal band played.
After an audience and lunch with the king, Xi met Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the administrative capital of Putrajaya outside Kuala Lumpur to discuss bilateral cooperation and other regional matters.
They witnessed the exchange of a range of agreements to cooperate on sectors such as emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, media, film and tourism. Anwar will host Xi for dinner at his official residence in Putrajaya later on Wednesday.
"It's not just about friendship, it's about realigning the regional centre of gravity towards Beijing," said Khoo Ying Hooi, an associate professor in the Department of International and Strategic Studies at Malaya University.
She told AFP that the visit was a calculated move to "test the waters for regional solidarity at a time when US trade measures are disrupting global markets".
Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc have been among the hardest hit by the US tariffs, which risked alienating even Washington's friends and allies. Malaysia is this year's ASEAN chair.
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