China's President Xi Jinping and European Union leaders are scheduled to visit Vietnam in the coming weeks amid heightened diplomatic activity due to increasing risks from U.S. trade tariffs, officials have stated.
China, the EU, and Vietnam all maintain significant trade surpluses with the United States and have recently encountered new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, with further announcements expected on Wednesday.
Xi Jinping is anticipated to meet with Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi on April 14, marking his second visit to the country in under 18 months, according to two Vietnamese officials with direct knowledge of the itinerary. This visit is part of a broader trip to Southeast Asia that includes Cambodia and Malaysia.
When asked about the trip at a news briefing, the Chinese foreign ministry declined to provide any information. Vietnam's foreign affairs ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Discussions are expected to focus on enhancing rail links between northern Vietnam and China in order to strengthen connections and trade. One source noted that Xi's visit would occur amidst "strategic adjustments by major countries," citing shifts in Trump’s policies as a significant factor.
Additionally, Vietnam is in the process of approving the use of Chinese commercial jets, with an industrial source suggesting that a formal decision could be aligned with Xi's visit. This might facilitate the leasing or even potential purchase of these aircraft by Vietnamese airlines.
In the days leading up to Xi's visit, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will meet with Vietnamese leaders on April 9, followed by EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, according to official schedules. French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are also expected in Hanoi in the following weeks, according to European officials and diplomats.
"The tide of tariffs and export controls is rising... We want to create new opportunities to trade and invest with trusted partners," von der Leyen stated in a video message to top officials from the ASEAN bloc during their recent gathering in Hanoi.