China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, on Monday met with Vietnam's top leadership, as China beefed up its public relations to gain support of important countries ahead of the verdict by an international tribunal court over South China Sea case, which was filed by Philippines in 2013.     

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Yang met Vietnam's deputy premier and foreign minister and is reported to have discussed the impending verdict with both leaders. Yang later met Vietnam's president and chief of Vietnam's communist party.                             

Vietnam's foreign ministry issued a statement on Yang's visit. The statement expressed a need to implement agreements on preventing rows from getting out of hand. It also stressed "controlling conflicts well, boosting negotiation mechanisms ... and finding basic and long-term solutions that both sides can accept through peaceful exchanges and negotiations."

However, experts claim that Vietnam may not officially support China after the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague delivers its verdict, which is expected to go against China. Experts cite that Vietnam is itself involved in a dispute with China over the South China Sea and is unlikely to support China if the verdict goes against it.

China claims that 47 countries support its refusal to recognize the case. However, several powerful western countries like the U.S, the U.K, and Germany have called on China to accept the tribunal court's verdict.    

Philippines incoming president, Rodrigo Duterte, has said that he won't issue any statement until the verdict comes out. Duterte has been seen by many in China as far more moderate than outgoing President Benigno Aquino, who was responsible for dragging China to the tribunal court in 2013.

Tagschina, South China Sea, Vietnam, China and Vietnam