China's Diplomatic Maneuvers in Response to Vietnam's Strengthened US Alliance

Beijing has sent a top diplomat, Liu Jianchao, to Vietnam in an effort to bolster ties as Hanoi elevates its relationship with the United States. Liu's visit came just days before US President Joe Biden's visit to Vietnam, which resulted in an upgrade of Hanoi's ties with Washington to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The visits by Liu and Biden highlight the increasing importance of party-to-party diplomacy in China-Vietnam relations, acting as a ballast in their love-hate relationship amid tensions over the South China Sea dispute and Washington's efforts to pull Hanoi away from Beijing.