Getting back to China and trade...
China is Laos 2nd largest trading partner in 23
Buma (Myanmar) has had ongoing trade relations with China dating back to the Yuan dynasty. There's large amounts of Chinese ethnic civies in Burma near the Chinese border.
Tibet is under Chinese control.
China is funding a southeast Asia railway that will cover Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, & Burma connecting all the major cities.
China's game plan is clear, documented, and is being executed. Whether Trump makes mistakes is immaterial.
Anyone want to bet that all of southeast Asia will become a single economic block?