Xi Jinping has urged Vietnam to resist “unilateral bullying” and uphold free and open trade, as he begins a high-stakes diplomatic tour of the region’s major export-reliant economies in a bid to position his country as a stable partner in contrast to the United States.

Chinese President Xi Jinping begins a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia next week, his first overseas trip this year, aiming to consolidate ties with some of China's closest neighbours as trade tension escalates with the United States.