China’s President Xi Jinping and European Union leaders are set to visit Vietnam in the coming weeks amid intensified diplomatic engagements, as concerns grow over U.S. trade tariffs, officials said.
China, the EU, and Vietnam all maintain substantial trade surpluses with the United States and have faced tariffs imposed by Donald Trump’s administration, with additional measures expected to be announced on Wednesday.
Xi Jinping is scheduled to meet Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi on April 14, according to two Vietnamese officials familiar with the plans. This would mark his second visit to Vietnam in under 18 months. His multi-day trip to Vietnam is part of a broader Southeast Asian tour, including stops in Cambodia and Malaysia, two diplomats confirmed.
When asked about the visit, China’s foreign ministry stated it had no information to share, while Vietnam’s foreign affairs ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Among the key topics on the agenda will be railway projects connecting northern Vietnam with China, which both countries have agreed to develop to enhance trade and connectivity, according to both Vietnamese sources.
One source noted that Xi’s visit comes amid “strategic adjustments by major countries,” highlighting shifts in U.S. policy under Trump as a significant factor. Additionally, Vietnam is in the process of approving the use of China’s COMAC aircraft, with an industry source suggesting that formal approval could coincide with Xi’s visit. This could open the door for Vietnamese airlines to lease or purchase Chinese commercial jets.
Just ahead of Xi’s visit, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is set to meet Vietnamese leaders on April 9, followed by EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, as per official schedules. Furthermore, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are also expected to visit Hanoi in the coming 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 said in a video message to ASEAN leaders when they convened in Hanoi last month.
