Standing outside his friend’s cupcake shop, he says Donald Trump’s levies are a sign that America feels threatened by China’s rise. America’s power is declining, he says. “To be honest, what you feel in today’s world is that hegemony is very hard to achieve.

China’s leader started a week of diplomacy in Southeast Asia to signal China’s commitment to global trade after U.S. President Trump upended the global economy.

China has raised its tariffs on US imports from 84% to 125%, effective April 12, to battle America’s 145% trade import levies. The latest round of tariff hikes by Washington has angered officials in Beijing.