Vietnam¡¯s party chief and newly appointed president, To Lam, is set to meet Xi Jinping in China this week, seeking to shore up energy security as the war in Iran raises global supply risks and pushes Hanoi to deepen cooperation with its largest trading partner.
Lam is expected to oversee the signing of agreements including a potential aircraft deal between budget carrier VietJet Aviation?and Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China Ltd., known as Comac, though it¡¯s unclear whether this would involve purchases or leases, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing confidential matters. The two countries are also expected to sign pacts on metro construction in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as energy and telecommunications, the people said.
¡°Both sides will seek reassurance that there will be minimal disruption to existing trade and investment cooperation,¡± said Carl Thayer, professor emeritus at the University of New South Wales, who has written several books on Vietnam. With the Iran war dragging on, ¡°To Lam is highly likely to solicit more Chinese investment in rail connectivity and energy cooperation.¡±
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