Xi Jinping has urged Vietnam to resist “unilateral bullying” and uphold free and open trade, as he begins a high-stakes diplomatic tour of the region’s major export-reliant economies in a bid to position his country as a stable partner in contrast to the United States.

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Vietnam to jointly oppose “unilateral bullying” in his first overseas trip this year in a veiled jab at the US. Hanoi’s initial silence on the request shows its attempt to walk a tightrope between the two powers.