Diplomatic Showdown: Leaders Flock to Vietnam Amidst Trade Turmoil

World leaders, including China's Xi Jinping and EU officials, plan visits to Vietnam amid heightened trade tensions spurred by U.S. tariffs. Talks will cover rail links and the potential adoption of China's aviation technology, reflecting strategic shifts. Upcoming European visits aim to forge new trade opportunities.

China's President Xi Jinping and leaders from the European Union will convene in Vietnam amidst an uptick in diplomatic exchanges, as U.S. trade tariffs pose increasing challenges, according to officials.

Xi Jinping is scheduled to host discussions with Vietnamese counterparts on April 14, marking his second journey to Vietnam in under 18 months, sources with knowledge of the matter disclosed to Reuters. This diplomatic mission forms part of Xi's broader Southeast Asia tour, which includes stops in Cambodia and Malaysia.

Vietnam is experiencing strategic recalibrations by major global powers, coinciding with aspirations to bolster transport links with China and the prospective approval of China's COMAC aircrafts for Vietnamese airlines. European leaders, including Spain's Prime Minister and French President Emmanuel Macron, will engage in dialogues with Hanoi to explore new trade and investment horizons.

(With inputs from agencies.)