Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia anticipate Xi's visit to strengthen ties

People from all sectors in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia are anticipating Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visits, hoping the visits will elevate China's relations with the three countries and inject new momentum into building of a community with a shared future among neighboring countries.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will pay a state visit to Vietnam from April 14 to 15, at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Luong Cuong.

"This visit comes less than a year after To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, paid a state visit to China. General secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Vietnam is a major diplomatic and political event of strategic significance in the history of both parties and both countries," said Bui Thanh Son, Vietnam’s deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs.

"I eagerly look forward to President Xi Jinping's visit to Vietnam. I hope it will further expand bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and China in areas such as the economy, education, and more. I also hope to see strengthened cooperation between the provinces of both countries and deeper ties between our peoples. I sincerely hope that this visit will enhance collaboration in economy, trade, tourism, and other sectors, leading to mutually beneficial and win-win outcomes for both nations," said Le Dang Doanh, a Vietnamese economist.

President Xi will also pay state visits to Malaysia and Cambodia from April 15 to 18, at the invitation of King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim and King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia.

In 2025, Malaysia holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and serves as the country coordinator for China-ASEAN relations.

People from all walks of life in Malaysia anticipate President Xi's visit, hoping it will deepen cooperation across various fields and foster the development of a stronger China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

"We expect the visit by President Xi on 15 to 17 of April. It's hoped to help enhance bilateral relations between our two countries. Of course, we look forward to enhancing also bilateral trade. China is an important trading partner for Malaysia, and in Malaysia's capacity as the chairman of ASEAN, there will definitely be a lot to discuss, and we look forward to hosting President Xi next week," said Fahmi Fadzil, minister of Communications of Malaysia.

"I think this is one of the most important visits for Malaysia, not only to Malaysia but to ASEAN and to the rest of the world. Of course, everyone is looking forward to the message of President Xi. Of course, we hope that China will remain an open trading economy, China will remain a trusted partner of the world, and China will remain committed to the rule-based system of global trade," said Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Malaysia’s transport minister.

Experts and officials in Cambodia believe that President Xi's visit could elevate the development of the community with a shared future between China and Cambodia to a higher level.

"Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit this time highlights his commitment to the international community, especially Southeast Asia and ASEAN countries. We look forward to working with China to strengthen and expand regional peace and security and global development within the framework of mutually beneficial cooperation. This period can be seen as a key stage in building a community with a shared future for mankind. This visit is a manifestation of commitment and determination. I expect that this visit will promote more cooperation and deliver greater results for the Global South," said Chea Munyrith, president of the Cambodian-Chinese Evolution Research Association.

"We, the Cambodian people, are very happy and honored to hear the news that Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Cambodia. This visit by President Xi is a valuable opportunity to further develop relations between the two countries," said Hos Sereython, advisor to the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and former ambassador to the Philippines and Laos.

Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia anticipate Xi's visit to strengthen ties

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Tuesday warned against "extreme optimism or pessimism" in the country about the indirect talks between Iran and the United States.

He made the remarks at a meeting with senior government officials in Iran's capital Tehran while pointing to the talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on Iran’s nuclear program and removing sanctions, the first round of which was held in the Omani capital Muscat on Saturday, according to a statement published on his website on Tuesday.

"We should not be extremely optimistic or extremely pessimistic about these talks," he said, adding that the negotiations may or may not yield results.

He stressed, "We are, of course, very distrustful of the other side. However, we are optimistic about our capabilities."

The Iranian leader also cautioned against "tying the country's affairs to the talks," emphasizing that activities in industrial, economic, construction, and cultural sectors, as well as the implementation of major projects, should proceed uninterrupted, as they are unrelated to the talks in Oman.

The second round of the indirect talks between Iran and the United States is scheduled to be held on this coming Saturday in Muscat.

According to U.S. media reports on Tuesday, the second aircraft carrier strike group deployed by the U.S. military in the Middle East had arrived in waters near Yemen, ahead of the second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran.

Satellite images show that the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson is currently positioned near Socotra Island off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, according to the U.S. media reports.

Accompanying it are a cruiser and two destroyers, thus forming a dual U.S. carrier strike group in the region.

The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, headquartered in Bahrain, declined to provide details about the mission of this carrier strike group.

The latest talks between Iran and the Untied States were proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened Iran with bombing and secondary tariffs if Iran did not come to an agreement with the United States over its nuclear program.

Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with six major countries -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States -- in July 2015, accepting restrictions on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.

However, the United States withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and reinstated sanctions, prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments. Efforts to revive the nuclear deal have not achieved substantial progress.

Iranian leader warns against extreme optimism, pessimism about talks with US