Hanoi, April 15 -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam arrived in China on April 14 for his first overseas trip as head of state, signalling key priorities in Vietnam's foreign policy, according to Singapore-based Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

With his role as both Party General Secretary and State President, analysts believe To Lam is well positioned to effectively leverage international cooperation frameworks in service of national development goals.

The trip takes place as Vietnam seeks a bigger role in geopolitics, a significant shift outlined at the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in January this year. Vietnam has increasingly positioned itself as...