As ties warm, Vietnam's top leader schedules China visit

Vietnam's top leader To Lam will visit China next week, Chinese state news agency Xinhua said on Thursday, as ties between the two nations continue to warm.

Reuters first reported on the Vietnamese state president and party chief's planned visit to its much larger and economically significant neighbour from April 14 to 17.

In what would be his first overseas trip since he was elected state president, Lam will be meeting his counterpart, President Xi Jinping, according to sources.

That Lam has chosen China for his first visit "fully demonstrates the high importance attached to the development of relations between the two parties and the two countries", the Chinese foreign ministry said.

China looks forward to deepening its comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily news briefing.

China and Vietnam have been growing closer, with cooperation breakthroughs in multiple sensitive fields, including rail links, special economic zones in Vietnam set close to China and having Chinese tech in Vietnam's 5G network.

With trade and investment the backbone of bilateral ties, officials have said both countries could sign new agreements on telecom infrastructures and other sectors during the upcoming visit.

China is the Southeast Asian nation's largest trading partner, while Vietnam holds top spot in ASEAN as China's largest partner with deeply integrated supply chains.

Vietnam and China reaffirmed bilateral economic cooperation as recently as last month when Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Hanoi.

Lam's last visit to China was in August 2024 during which Xi prepared a tea gathering at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. That was soon after Lam was appointed the general secretary of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party.

Still, historical sensitivities over maritime claims remain the most testy part of the neighbours' relations. Both communist neighbours maintain differing views over boundaries in the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls East Sea. 

Reuters

Updated 5.15pm