Chinese President Xi Jinping will embark on a three-nation Southeast Asia tour next week in his first overseas trip this year to consolidate ties with some of China's closest neighbours as trade tensions with the United States escalate.

All major powers—the U.S., China, Japan, the European Union, and India—saw an increase in trust from Southeast Asia this year. Of these, Japan remains the most trusted, and its trust level increased from 58.9% to 66.8%. The E.U. overtook the U.S. for second most trusted, while the U.S., China and India followed in that order.

President Xi Jinping will set off on a tour of three Southeast Asian countries next week as Beijing urgently seeks to strengthen ties with its neighbours amid an intensifying tariff war with Washington.