The visit of General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping has important meaning and symbolism.

Ahead of the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh gave an interview to the press about the significance of the visit as well as prospects for bilateral cooperation in various fields in the coming time.

Báo Thừa Thiên Huế•11/04/2025

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh.

Nhan Dan Newspaper respectfully introduces to readers the content of the interview:

Reporter: Could you please share with us the significance of the upcoming visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in the context of the two countries celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (1950-2025) and the Vietnam-China Humanitarian Exchange Year 2025?

Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh: At the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Luong Cuong, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping paid a State visit to Vietnam from April 14 to 15.

This is the first foreign visit of General Secretary and President Xi Jinping in 2025, the fourth visit to Vietnam of Xi Jinping as China's top leader and the second in the same term, demonstrating the high importance of the Chinese Party, State and Xi Jinping personally to the development of the friendly neighborly relationship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China.

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh

This visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping has important significance and symbolism for the relationship between the two countries.

The visit takes place at a crucial time for each Party, each country and the Vietnam-China relationship. Vietnam is striving to successfully implement the goals and tasks set out in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, implementing many breakthroughs in institutions and infrastructure to serve the country's development, towards the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

China is entering the final year of accelerating the completion of the goals of the 14th Five-Year Plan, formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, and the key stage of implementing the Resolution of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, deepening comprehensive reform in the spirit of the 3rd Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee.

Vietnam-China relations have maintained a strong and positive development momentum in recent times and have many outstanding cooperation highlights in all fields. The two sides are practically implementing activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the Vietnam-China Humanitarian Exchange Year 2025.

The visit is an opportunity for senior leaders of the two Parties and two countries to continue to deepen strategic exchanges, assess the relationship between the two Parties and two countries, especially the results achieved in implementing high-level common agreements, and identify major directions and measures to promote the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries of Vietnam and China to develop more stably, substantially and effectively in the coming time. Inheriting the tradition of friendship and practices between the two sides, the Party, State and people of Vietnam attach great importance to the visit and will give General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping a special welcome, full of friendship and brotherhood.

Reporter: Returning to Vietnam after more than a year since his State visit in December 2023, what will be the highlights of Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping's activities in Vietnam? What does the Ambassador expect from the results of this visit?

Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh: The State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping has been highly valued by both sides, with arrangements and preparations being made very carefully in terms of both program and content. General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping will have important talks and meetings with General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.

The two sides will inform each other about the situation of each Party and each country, and have in-depth discussions on strengthening and deepening bilateral relations, including promoting the tradition of regular high-level exchanges, further consolidating political trust, promoting the effective implementation of high-level common perceptions and signed agreements, expanding and improving the effectiveness and quality of cooperation areas in the direction of "6 more", bringing substantive cooperation into depth, achieving many practical results and new highlights.

I believe that, in addition to continuing and maintaining the mutual visits between the top leaders of the two Parties and two countries in recent years, the visit will leave a historical mark, adding strong momentum and creating a favorable foundation for the development of the relationship between the two Parties and two countries in the new period; continue to put forward strategic arrangements and important orientations to bring the Vietnam-China relationship to continue to develop firmly and sustainably, reaping many breakthrough achievements, for the development interests of each country.

Accordingly, the two countries will continue to strengthen political trust and mutual understanding, accelerate the implementation of agreements and cooperation projects between the two countries to achieve substantial progress, add new contents, contents, measures, directions and mechanisms so that the bilateral relationship develops more comprehensively and practically, meeting the common aspirations of the people of the two countries, and actively contributing to the cause of peace and progress of humanity.

Reporter: The Chinese have a saying: “When the train sounds, ten thousand taels of gold arrive.” How does the Ambassador assess the prospects for promoting trade between the two countries when the Vietnam-China cross-border railway is about to start construction?

Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh: In recent times, bilateral trade between Vietnam and China has seen strong growth. Vietnam has been China's largest trading partner in ASEAN for many years and by 2024 it has become China's fourth largest trading partner in the world. Meanwhile, China is Vietnam's largest trading partner, largest import market and second largest export market.

Regarding strategic infrastructure construction, China has technology, experience, financial potential, and many large enterprises; Vietnam has a great need for development while resources, experience, technology, and human resources are limited. Therefore, the two countries have potential and strengths that can complement and support each other in this field.

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh

Implementing the common perception of the high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and two countries, Vietnam and China are accelerating the promotion of infrastructure connections between the two countries in terms of railways, highways, and border gate infrastructure.

In that context, the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong, Dong Dang-Hanoi and Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong standard gauge railways are important and strategic transport projects and symbols of Vietnam-China relations.

Currently, agencies of the two sides are actively discussing to deploy the connection of these standard railway lines, thereby creating a favorable foundation for trade, economy, tourism and people-to-people exchange, bringing great benefits to the two countries.

In the context of the constantly expanding trade between Vietnam and China, the demand for multimodal transport is increasing, along with road, air and sea, freight transport by rail is a suitable choice to increase the efficiency of traffic connection between the two countries.

The above standard railway lines will help reduce the transit time of goods at the border, optimize transportation costs, and enhance the advantages and competitiveness of the two sides' inter-logistics industry.

These are favorable factors that help Vietnam export more and more strong products such as agricultural and aquatic products to the Chinese market, as well as bring Chinese products to the Vietnamese market.

In addition, the railway connection helps Vietnamese goods take advantage of the railway transport route connecting from China to potential markets such as Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East, etc., contributing to diversifying the export market for Vietnamese goods.

At the same time, high-quality Chinese goods can also penetrate ASEAN markets through railways connecting to Vietnam, promoting the strengths of regional free trade agreements such as RCEP and ACFTA.

Reporter: The Vietnam-China Cultural Exchange Year 2025 is taking place in a very exciting and bustling atmosphere with a series of events and activities promoting people-to-people exchanges. Could you please share some of the outstanding and impressive events?

Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh: Vietnam and China have a long-standing traditional friendship, close cultures, and the people of the two countries support and help each other in the revolutionary struggle and socialist construction.

In recent years, the two sides have carried out extensive cooperation in the field of people-to-people exchange. Currently, there are more than 23,000 Vietnamese students studying in China; the number of Vietnamese tourists to China every year always ranks first among ASEAN countries; in 2024, Vietnam welcomed about 3.7 million Chinese visitors; there are currently 400 flights between Vietnam and China every week.

The year 2025 has been identified by both sides as the Vietnam-China Humanitarian Exchange Year to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Since the beginning of the year, the two sides have closely coordinated and extensively implemented humanitarian exchange activities.

At the end of March, the program "Meeting Vietnamese and Chinese students of all periods" was held at the Vietnam-China Friendship Palace (Hanoi). General Secretary To Lam attended and delivered an important speech, affirming the solid foundation of bilateral relations that generations of leaders of the two countries have worked hard to cultivate, sending a strong message to the young generation of the two countries as "young cultural ambassadors" inheriting the tradition of friendship, continuing to play a core role in developing Vietnam-China relations well, effectively and sustainably, adding strong vitality and a bright future to bilateral relations, which has been highly appreciated by public opinion of the two countries, international and regional public opinion.

Mass organizations and localities of the two countries, especially border localities, continuously carry out many friendly exchange activities, scientific, cultural and artistic seminars, and tourism cooperation to celebrate the Vietnam-China Humanitarian Exchange Year, not only demonstrating the geographical proximity and cultural similarities, but also showing the close emotional bond between the people of the two countries.

The two sides are also increasing direct flights between major cities of the two countries such as Hanoi-Fuzhou, Ho Chi Minh City-Beijing, and resuming flights between Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh City, creating favorable conditions for travel, business and tourism activities of the two peoples.

In addition, the two sides are also actively researching and organizing activities for youths of the two countries to visit "red addresses" bearing revolutionary imprints, in order to promote propaganda and education for the young generations of the two countries about the good traditional friendship between Vietnam and China.

In the coming time, the two sides will continue to carry out cultural exchange activities with rich and diverse methods and measures, building more bridges of friendship between the people of the two countries, and consolidating an increasingly solid social foundation for bilateral relations.

Reporter: Thank you very much, Ambassador!

According to nhandan.vn

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/chuyen-tham-cua-tong-bi-thu-chu-tich-trung-quoc-tap-can-binh-mang-y-nghia-va-tinh-bieu-tuong-quan-trong-152494.html