Xi Jinping in Hanoi to keep in check its ties with Washington
The Chinese president began a two-day visit to Vietnam aiming for greater cooperation but will not be able to ignore territorial disputes caused by Beijing's unilateral changes to maps in the South China Sea. Hanoi wants to get the maximum economic benefits from its "bamboo diplomacy".
Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Hanoi today for a visit that follows that of his US counterpart, Joe Biden, in September, which significantly improved diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States.
Xi's talks with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and Communist Party Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong are aimed at boosting relations between the two countries, characterised by historical enmities and alliances underpinned in the past by shared ideological basis, now replaced by a strong trading relationship.
During the two-day visit to Vietnam, which began with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, the foreign guest will not be able to ignore territorial disputes that his government has sparked with unilateral changes to its maps of the South China Sea to include areas claimed by Vietnam, against a backdrop of past armed confrontations.
Shared borders, economic relations, and ruling parties with similar ideological bases in both countries are essential elements for a relationship that began with normalisation of diplomatic relations in 1991.
However, China’s claims, backed by a growing military presence in the South China Sea, have pushed Hanoi to seek ever closer relations with Washington.
The US has long been committed to countering Chinese expansionism in the region, which has the most intense maritime traffic in the world, with several countries allied with Washington or at least accessible to US air and naval power.
Closer US-Vietnamese ties worry China, whose exclusive strategic partnership with Vietnam was lost two months ago in favour of the United States.
For this reason, ahead of Xi's visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin was keen to stress that the visit also aims at “bringing China-Vietnam relations to a higher position” with an agenda that includes "politics, security, practical cooperation, the formation of public opinion, multilateral issues and maritime issues”.
For Vietnam, the visit by such an eminent guest confirms the success of its "bamboo diplomacy", i.e. seeking maximum economic benefit from its friendship with the People's Republic of China while keeping doors open to investments and exports from the United States and countries allied with Washington, using the latter’s influence and deterrence to ensure its own security.
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