Chinese President Xi Jinping embarks on a 2-day visit to Vietnam on Nov 5, 2015 -- the first by a top Chinese leader in 10 years. Acknowledging that bilateral relations "have been at a low ebb" since last May when China deployed an oil rig around the Xisha Islands, the state-run Global Times claimed on Nov 5, 2015, that "recent months have seen tensions thawing as the leaderships of both countries have sped up the frequency of their interaction". It added "Xi's visit is expected to push the improving relationship to a new height". The Global Times said also that "this visit appears aimed at mending ties with Vietnam, giving a major push to get the slightly derailed bilateral relationship back on track. Xi's visit will further endorse China's belief that Vietnam is still a friend and comrade, not a foe or rival". It said a "major motive for the visit is Vietnam's upcoming 12th national congress of the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP), a significant meeting that will lead to a transition of leadership....The CPC-VCP communication has long been used as an effective mechanism to deal with party-to-party and country-to-country issues". Stating that "Hanoi, as a regional country that can be easily swung by major-power rivalries", the Global Times added that the "stability of these peripheral countries, featuring political stability and a persistent and positive China policy, has become the focus of China's diplomatic efforts".