Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and the China's President Xi Jinping (L) wave to the media during their meeting at the Government Office in Hanoi on December 13, 2023. China and Vietnam pledged on December 12 to deepen ties during President Xi Jinping's first visit in six years, as Beijing seeks to counter growing US influence with the communist nation. (Photo by Nhac NGUYEN / POOL / AFP)