Analysts link strengthening Vietnam’s China Sea claims to Putin visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Vietnam's President To Lam pose for photos at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 20, 2024.

Analysts cite an effort to strengthen Vietnam’s South China Sea territorial claims as a key reason Hanoi welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month, despite potential fallout from links to Moscow in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.