Vietnam's President Vo Van Thuong (R) and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands during a meeting at the Presidential Palace 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 LUONG THAI LINH / POOL / AFP)