Vietnam Communist Party chief to meet Xi in China next week

Nguyen Phu Trong to make a rare trip at Xi's invitation

20221025 Vietnam's President Nguyen Phu Trong file photo

Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong, pictured in Hanoi on Feb. 1, 2021, has congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping on Xi's precedent-breaking third term as party chief. © Reuters

TOMOYA ONISHI, Nikkei staff writer

October 25, 2022 13:50 JST

Updated on October 25, 2022 19:39 JST

HANOI -- Vietnamese Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong will begin an official visit to China on Sunday, possibly becoming the first foreign leader to visit Chinese President Xi Jinping since Xi cemented a third term at the recently concluded party congress.

The Vietnam party on Tuesday announced that Trong's visit was scheduled "at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping." It is believed to be the first foreign trip by Trong, aged 78, since 2019, when he reported feeling ill.