Vietnam has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing its long-standing loyalty to Moscow despite criticism from the US. Hanoi sees Russia as a counterbalance to the US and China, which threatens Vietnam’s sovereignty in the South China Sea, according to Bloomberg. Putin arrived in Hanoi on Thursday from North Korea, where he signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Kim Jong Un. “The visit demonstrates that Vietnam actively implements its foreign policy with the spirit of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralism,” the statement on the Vietna…