Xi Jinping strengthens China-Vietnam ties amid Vietnam's growing closeness to the US
China and Vietnam, historical adversaries with territorial disputes in the South China Sea, have surprisingly decided to foster trust and deepen cooperation This unexpected move comes shortly after Hanoi's strengthened ties with Washington
After Hanoi recently upgraded its relations with Washington, China and Vietnam - historical adversaries with enduring disputes over conflicting South China Sea claims - have now agreed to enhance cooperation and build trust. At a summit in Hanoi, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Vietnamese Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong advocated for strengthening their strategic relationship and pledged to collaborate on various issues such as maritime patrols, trade, and crime prevention. This was lauded by Chinese state media as a "new positioning of relations" between the neighboring Communist-ruled countries.
The two leaders committed to creating a "shared future" between their countries, using a phrase coined by Xi, in statements released by their official media after their meeting in Hanoi on Tuesday. Trong referred to Xi's two-day visit to the capital as "a new historic milestone," which he believes will elevate the relationship between the two Communist parties and countries to a new level. This was reported by the state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
The two parties have agreed to continuously strengthen political trust and develop relationships based on mutual respect, equality, and mutually beneficial cooperation while respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as stated in the Vietnamese report. However, the Chinese report released on Tuesday emphasized the importance of strengthening trust without mentioning sovereignty and territorial integrity in relation to their relationship.
Xi and First Lady Peng Liyuan received a warm welcome with a 21-gun salute, streets filled with flag-waving children, and a military band serenade upon their arrival on Tuesday afternoon. This visit marks Xi's first trip to Vietnam in six years and his fourth overseas trip since beginning his third term as President of China earlier this year.
This visit comes after US President Joe Biden's September visit to Vietnam, during which Washington and Hanoi strengthened their ties in response to increased trade and shared concerns about China's growing military presence in the South China Sea.
Underlying tensions between Vietnam and China have intensified in the past few years as a more assertive and powerful Beijing continues to militarize artificial islands and increase its maritime presence in order to assert its "sovereignty" in the South China Sea, where Vietnam and other regional governments hold competing claims.
The escalating maritime standoff between China and the Philippines could potentially draw the US into the conflict, warn analysts. An agreement signed on Tuesday includes plans for joint military patrols in the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea and the creation of a hotline for communication regarding unexpected incidents related to fisheries activities at sea. This agreement indicates a potential increase in tensions in the region.
There could be an indication of a willingness to address and ease those tensions. The details provided by the news agency did not indicate which specific government agencies would participate in the hotline, other than noting that it would be for incidents related to fisheries activities.
According to Vietnam's national radio broadcaster, China and Vietnam have previously conducted patrols in the delimited Gulf of Tonkin, including as recently as earlier this month.
During their meeting, Trong urged both countries to respect each other's legal and legitimate interests and to resolve disputes peacefully in accordance with international laws. Xi stated that China and Vietnam should view maritime challenges as opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
The meetings are taking place amidst increased tensions in the South China Sea. Beijing asserts its "indisputable sovereignty" over nearly the entire waterway, encompassing numerous features that are hundreds of miles away from mainland China. The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Taiwan also have conflicting claims in the region.
Recent months have seen multiple non-violent standoffs between Chinese and Filipino vessels, as Manila endeavors to defend its territorial claims while China continues to disregard a 2016 verdict from an international tribunal, which rejected Beijing's assertion of historic rights over the majority of the South China Sea.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Phu Trong during a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on December 12, 2023.
Nhac Nguyen/AFP/Getty Images
Despite establishing a new hotline between their foreign ministries ocean affairs bureaus earlier this year, China and the Philippines continue to experience clashes in disputed waters. Additionally, tense encounters have occurred between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels in recent years, contributing to decades of mistrust between the two neighboring countries.
During his visit to Vietnam, Xi is working to improve diplomatic ties with key partners amid economic challenges and a rivalry with Washington. Xi stated that China believes Vietnam will support their opposition to external interference and their aim of national reunification, likely referring to tensions with the US and their desire to control Taiwan.
Beijing and Hanoi signed 36 agreements that strengthened cooperation on various issues such as propaganda, crime prevention, trade, transportation, digital economy, and telecoms, according to VNA. The two sides also called for promoting cooperation between Vietnam's "Two Corridors, One Belt" framework and China's Belt and Road infrastructure development program. While Hanoi supports the scheme, it has been cautious in accepting substantial Chinese funds.
The recent agreements on Tuesday indicated that China may provide assistance for the construction of a cross-border railway, although specific information was not fully disclosed. Additionally, the two leaders signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration in the digital economy and digital data, potentially supporting Xi's Digital Silk Road initiative, a technological aspect of the Belt and Road.
Xi continued his visit on Wednesday, holding meetings with Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the Chairman of Vietnams National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, and Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong. This report includes contributions from CNNs Shawn Deng and Akanksha Sharma.
