Vietnamese Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong made an unprecedented visit to the White House in July, prompting President Barack Obama to pledge a return trip "soon." Although no plans have been announced, Obama will be in the region this month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference.
“Xi wants to show Vietnam that its relationship with China is more important than that of any other country, especially the U.S.,” said Nguyen Manh Hung, professor emeritus at George Mason University in Virginia. “He wants to show Vietnam, you need me and you don’t want to make me angry. The Vietnamese can’t totally ignore Chinese pressure.”
Ideological Ties
Xi arrived in the Vietnamese capital just before noon Thursday. Before his plane touched down, police in Ho Chi Minh City, about 1,200 kilometers (720 miles) to the south, blocked 80 to 100 protesters from marching on the local Chinese consulate, according to two people who said they participated. Some of the protesters, who were carrying signs urging Xi to "go away," were beaten and detained, the people said. Local police declined to comment when reached by phone.
Xi will be visiting as head of the world’s largest Communist party, as well as president, and will address Vietnam’s National Assembly on Friday. He’s expected to highlight economic and ideological links and avoid discussion of disagreements, said Le Hong Hiep, a lecturer at Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City. The Bank of China is prepared to finance Vietnamese infrastructure projects to help forge closer relations between Vietnam and China, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Nov. 3.
“This is not just a state visit, but also a party-to-party visit to weigh in on Vietnam’s politics,” said Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington. “The Chinese are very concerned you are going to get a group of people in power who are much more predisposed to improving ties and economic relations with the U.S.”