Vietnamese President To Lam arrived in Guangzhou, China on Sunday morning for a three-day visit, according to the Chinese state media.

The visit will include meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, the foreign ministry said, without giving more details.

In Guangzhou, Lam is scheduled to visit locations where former President Ho Chi Minh conducted revolutionary activities in the 1920s, state media CCTV reported.

Lam was elected as the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party just earlier this month, making him the foremost leader in Vietnam.

His visit to China marks the first after taking office, which China's foreign ministry said "fully reflects the great importance he attaches to the development of ties between both parties and countries."

'Good start' to smoothen over tensions?

In 2008, the two authoritarian regimes established a "comprehensive strategic partnership" that has not only fostered cooperation and stability but also strengthened trade, with bilateral commerce exceeding $171 billion (€159 billion) in 2023.

Despite close trade relations, the two countries often clash over the disputed boundaries of the South China Sea.

In May 2024, a dispute over the Spratly and Paracel Islands — which sit hundreds of kilometers from both countries — grabbed headlines when Vietnam protested a Chinese navy hospital ship being deployed within the Paracel Islands to treat some Chinese soldiers.

It prompted Lam to insist that the neighbors resolve disagreements at sea and "respect each other's legitimate rights and interests."

However, the state visit reflects an effort to smoothen over the incident and confirm the close ties between the communist-run neighbors.

President Xi visited Vietnam in December of 2023 when they signed over a dozen agreements including establishing communication to handle unexpected incidents in the South China Sea.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, when announcing the state trip, said Lam's visit was the next step to Xi's December one. They called it "a good start" to building the "China-Vietnam community of shared future that carries strategic significance." 

mk/rc (Reuters, AFP)