China's President Xi arrives in Vietnam on two-day visit to strengthen ties
China's President Xi Jinping embarked on a two-day visit to Vietnam on Tuesday, aiming to fortify the relationship between the Communist nations, three months following US President Joe Biden's visit to Hanoi.
This move by major global powers reflects their competition for influence within the Southeast Asian nation.
Marking his first journey to Vietnam in six years, Xi received a warm welcome at Hanoi airport from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Images circulated on state media portrayed people along the route to his hotel waving flags representing both countries.
While maintaining a robust economic partnership, these neighboring nations have encountered disputes concerning boundaries in the South China Sea, compounded by a history of conflicts spanning millennia.
'Asia's future is in the hands of no one but Asians,' Xi emphasized in an op-ed published in the newspaper of the Vietnamese Communist Party in anticipation of his visit.
Xi's visit encountered delays due to prolonged negotiations regarding the usage of the term 'common destiny.' This phrase represents a more robust interpretation favored by Beijing to characterize the relationship between the two sides, as highlighted by officials and diplomats.
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