Chinese President Xi Jinping, touring Southeast Asian countries, has expressed readiness to stand with his Asian peers to prevent what he called the abuse of tariffs.

He made the remark during his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday.

He effectively called for solidarity among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the face of US President Donald Trump's tariff policies.

Chinese state-run media reported that Xi said China supports Malaysia in its role as the ASEAN chair.

He expressed resolve to stand with Southeast Asian nations to stop tariffs being misused and respond to global uncertainties with Asian stability.

The Trump administration hiked levies on Chinese imports to 145 percent. Trump has paused what he calls "reciprocal" tariffs on other countries, but has indicated he will impose high tariffs on Southeast Asian nations. Exporters in the region are expressing concern.

China's trade with ASEAN is larger than its trade with the US. The country is apparently seeking to boost its influence in the region and strengthen cooperation with ASEAN members to reduce the impact of US tariffs on its export industry.

Xi arrived in Malaysia on Wednesday after wrapping up a visit to Vietnam. He is scheduled to visit Cambodia for two days from Thursday.