China’s president will visit Vietnam weeks after it strengthened ties with the US and Japan

By HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Vietnam on Tuesday seeking to further deepen ties with its neighbor that is deepening diplomatic relations with Western-aligned countries. In his first visit since 2017, Xi will meet with the president, prime minister and Communist Party general secretary. One analyst says the visit reflects Beijing’s concerns about Hanoi’s advances with the West. In September, U.S. President Joe Biden visited Vietnam to mark the U.S. being elevated to the same high diplomatic status as China. In November, Japan and Vietnam also boosted their economic and security ties.