• Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Vietnam on April 14 as part of a broader Southeast Asian tour.
  • EU leaders, including Spain's PM Sanchez, Trade Commissioner Sefcovic, and later Macron and von der Leyen, will visit Hanoi.
  • Diplomatic activity intensifies as China, the EU, and Vietnam all face new or potential US tariffs from the Trump administration.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and several European Union leaders are scheduled to visit Vietnam in the coming weeks, as countries with significant US trade surpluses navigate growing tariff risks from President Donald Trump's administration.

Xi is expected in Hanoi on April 14 for a multi-day visit that forms part of a broader Southeast Asian tour including Cambodia and Malaysia, according to Vietnamese officials and diplomats familiar with the plans.

This marks Xi's second visit to Vietnam in less than 18 months, emphasising the strengthening ties between the neighboring countries.

The Chinese leader's visit will reportedly focus on railway development connecting northern Vietnam with China to enhance trade and connectivity.

Vietnamese authorities are also considering approval for the use of China's COMAC commercial aircraft, with a formal announcement potentially coinciding with Xi's visit.

Just days before Xi's arrival, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will meet with Vietnamese leaders on April 9, followed by EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.

French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are also planning Hanoi visits in subsequent weeks.

"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 told ASEAN officials at a recent meeting in Hanoi.

This flurry of diplomatic activity comes as China, the EU, and Vietnam—all maintaining substantial trade surpluses with the United States—face increasing pressure from Trump's trade policies.

The administration has already implemented new tariffs affecting these economies, with additional measures expected to be announced on Wednesday.

One Vietnamese official noted that Xi's trip is occurring amid "strategic adjustments by major countries," specifically citing Trump's shifting policies as the primary catalyst for these diplomatic maneuvers.

Edited By Annette George