Xi meets To Lam and Lavrov; Wang Yi calls for "restoring normal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz; Investment approval; Nvidia CEO on selling chips to China

Today’s top items:

1. Xi meets Vietnam’s To Lam - Xi spent a lot of time with Vietnam’s General Secretary. To lam also met with Li Qiang and Zhao Leji. Cai Qi, Wang Yi, Yin Li, and Wang Xiaohong attended the Xi-To Lam meetings. So much for the rumors some are pushing that Wang Xiaohong is in trouble…

Xi said “defending the socialist system and the ruling status of the Communist Party is the greatest shared strategic interest of the Chinese and Vietnamese parties” and explicitly told To Lam that both sides must “reform without changing direction and transform without changing color”. Xi also called on both sides to jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism and maintain stable supply chains — a clear reference to the trade war with the US and its efforts to enlist Vietnam.

Xi also said:

Both sides should work together and jointly travel the path of modernization. They should accelerate the alignment of development strategies and prioritize advancing infrastructure connectivity. They sh…