Chinese President Xi Jinping, visiting Vietnam, has held talks with ruling Communist Party General Secretary To Lam.



The summit comes amid an escalating trade dispute between China and the United States, with both sides imposing additional tariffs on each other.



Beijing appears set to counter Washington by attaching importance to Southeast Asian nations, and strengthening relations with Vietnam, which has strong economic and trade ties with China.



Xi arrived in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi on Monday. He took part in a welcoming ceremony and held a meeting with To Lam later on the day.



This is Xi's first visit to Vietnam since December 2023.



China's foreign ministry released a statement by Xi, which said, "I look forward to discussing friendship, discussing and cooperation with Vietnamese leaders, and drawing a new blueprint for building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future in the new era."



The two countries have territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, they have been deepening economic ties in recent years, including trade and railway projects.