China and Vietnam are preparing for a possible Xi visit to Hanoi next month.

President Xi Jinping may visit Hanoi towards the end of October or the beginning of November after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s trip in September, according to four sources with knowledge of the planning.

The visit would highlight the growing geopolitical significance of the industrial powerhouse in Southeast Asia as major nations compete for influence there despite mounting tensions between Beijing and Washington.

A joint statement that would be released during the visit is currently being worked on, four individuals with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters.

Two of them said that the participants were talking about the expression “community of common destiny,” which Xi frequently uses but which some find contentious. According to the two sources, Vietnamese officials were cautious regarding that reference.

A fifth Vietnamese insider predicted the joint statement would include such a mention. According to two individuals, it may be viewed as an improvement in ties between the two nations, although it is unclear what that would involve and what specific agreements would be disclosed.

Due to the situation’s sensitivity, that individual and the other four people briefed about the discussions declined to give their names.

Although the visit has not been publicized and might be canceled or delayed, logistical options have been investigated.

When questioned about the potential visit during a news conference on Thursday, Pham Thu Hang, a spokeswoman for the Vietnamese foreign affairs ministry, said: “All significant diplomatic activities of Vietnam would be announced to you when appropriate.”

Reuters emailed the ministry with queries regarding the visit’s scheduling and the details of the joint statement, but they did not receive a response.

Requests for reaction from the Chinese foreign ministry went unanswered.

PREPARATIONS FOR STATE VISITS

According to one of the individuals, China deployed a team to Hanoi to arrange lodging for Xi’s entourage.

Another stated that the team has been attempting to reserve 800 rooms in hotels in the capital of Vietnam, which is the appropriate quantity for a state visit.

According to the source, if sufficient work has been done on the wording, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi would travel to Hanoi in the middle of October to assist in finalizing the joint statement.

Xi’s trip would take place during Vietnam’s bi-annual month-long parliamentary session when he previously delivered a speech in 2015.

According to authorities, the preparation for the trip has been ongoing for months.

As Vietnam develops its involvement in global supply chains, buying industrial components from China that it assembles before exporting finished goods to the United States or Europe, both giants view it as becoming more significant.

After a protracted diplomatic effort, Washington improved its ties with Hanoi in September, putting them on an equal footing with those of China in Vietnam.

During his tenure as president of China, Xi made two trips to Vietnam, the most recent of which was in 2017 for an Asia-Pacific summit he attended alongside Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and other world leaders.

According to Vietnamese official data, China is the largest investor in its southern neighbor. It has committed to investing nearly $3 billion in Vietnam in the first nine months of this year, six times more than the United States in the same period and second only to Singapore.

China’s most recent war was fought against Vietnam in 1979; Beijing and Hanoi have long-standing disputes over the South China Sea’s territorial waters.