diplomacy underway, between China and the Vatican

The speaker of the Vietnamese National Assembly, a likely candidate for the country's presidency, arrived in Beijing for a six-day visit. In a meeting with Xi Jinping he spoke of “peace”, “cooperation” and “development”. At the same time, the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Paul Gallagher, landed in Hanoi today, who will celebrate mass with some local communities and meet with the prime minister.

Hanoi (/Agencies) – The president of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Vietnam arrived in China and met with President Xi Jinping, who has proposed greater collaboration between the two communist countries in the South China Sea and in a series of commercial and development projects. At the same time, Mons. Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States – the Vatican's “Minister of Foreign Affairs” – landed in Vietnam today for the first time in history for a six-day visit.

Hue's trip to Beijing – one of Vietnam's four “pillars” along with the party chief, prime minister and president – comes after President Vo Van Thuong left office last month over irregularities. unspecified and after a visit – which took place last week – by the Vietnamese Foreign Minister, who shortly before had also made a diplomatic trip to the United States.

In reality, an anti-corruption campaign has been underway in Vietnam for approximately a year that has left out several officials who held relevant functions within the Communist Party. Hue appears to be one of the few politicians qualified to replace Thoung (who opened the country to foreign investors and has also encouraged dialogue with the Vatican by inviting Pope Francis to Vietnam), but not all observers agree on this. “The last thing China wants is for a neighboring country like Vietnam to get too close to the United States,” he told Nikkei Asia Professor Jack Butcher from the University of Adelaide. China is Vietnam's main trading partner and absorbs much of the manufacturing sector's imports, while Vietnam is, after the United States, the second largest market for Chinese exports.

At the same time, however, the Vietnamese are, among all Southeast Asian countries, the most concerned about Chinese influence, especially with regard to provocations in the South China Sea, where Beijing repeatedly violates sovereignty. maritime of other countries.

Hue declared today that he hopes that “China can make an important contribution to global peace, cooperation and development”, but he also predicts progress from an economic and commercial point of view. Xi visited Vietnam in December and on that occasion the two communist neighbors signed a series of agreements, including the development of a community of “shared future.”

Bishop Gallagher, for his part, will meet with his counterpart, Bui Thanh Son, and will also – according to Vietnam News Agency – with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, after presiding over two Eucharistic celebrations with local Catholic communities in the capital, Hanoi, and in Ho Chi Minh City, the financial center. Bishop Gallagher's trip is an important stage on the path that in recent years has seen very significant advances in relations between Vietnam and the Holy See, suspended for decades when the Communist Party came to power in 1975. After prolonged work carried out by a mixed commission, in July last year former President Vo Van Thuong and Pope Francis signed an agreement thanks to which Archbishop Marek Zalewski is present in Hanoi today as permanent pontifical representative, a very significant step towards the reestablishment of full diplomatic relations. The issue of Pope Francis' possible trip to Vietnam is also on the table. On the occasion of Christmas, the then president Vo Van Thuong had also sent an official invitation and Vietnamese Catholics hope that this much-desired visit can take place soon, perhaps already on the same trip that should take the pontiff to other Asian countries next month. of September.