Exclusive | Balancing act: Vietnam may find itself hosting Barack Obama and Xi Jinping within days of each other
Hanoi's complicated geopolitical position may be drawn into sharp focus when Xi Jinping and Barack Obama arrive for talks later this year
Vietnam may be forced to perform a delicate balancing act should President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart, Barack Obama, visit within the same timeframe, as expected, later this year.
No exact dates have been fixed for Xi's visit - which will be the first in 10 years by a Chinese president. Hanoi's invitation for Xi to visit was accepted last year but sources say Beijing only recently confirmed that Xi would come by the end of this year.
We could be receiving two of the most important world leaders
It means there could be some intense diplomatic jostling as the visits by the Chinese and American presidents are scheduled so close to each other. The rivalry between the two major powers has intensified, while maritime territorial disputes continue to strain Beijing's ties with Hanoi and Washington.
The most likely timing, according to analysts, will be in November when regional leaders, including Xi, gather in Manila for the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit.
This, however, could create a diplomatic challenge for Hanoi as Obama is also likely to swing by Vietnam on his way to Manila.
Read more: Vietnam Communist Party chief to make first US visit as former foes mull China's territorial claims
"We could be receiving two of the most important world leaders around the same time," said one diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
