Vietnam fires 21-gun salute to welcome Chinese leader Xi Jinping

This is Xi's fourth state visit to Vietnam as China's General Party Secretary, taking place less than a year after Vietnamese Party Chief To Lam’s state visit to China.

A formal reception at Hanoi's Presidential Palace, hosted by the Vietnamese Party leader, on Monday afternoon began with a warm handshake between the two leaders, followed by a 21-gun salute, a flag salutation ceremony, and the honor guard review.

Following the ceremony, the two leaders posed for photos outside the Presidential Palace, waving to the gathered crowd before heading to the headquarters of the Party Central Committee for further discussions.

The two leaders are expected to discuss issues aimed at boosting cooperation in multiple fields.