New milestone in Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership

At the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping and his wife, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam and his wife paid a State visit to the People's Republic of China from August 18 to 20, 2024.

This is the first visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam in his new position; it is a particularly important foreign activity between Vietnam and China this year, having a great impact on the development trend of relations between the two Parties and two countries in the long term to come.

POLITICAL-DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS HAVE DEVELOPED STABLY, ACHIEVING MANY POSITIVE RESULTS

Vietnam and China are two close neighbors. The two countries established diplomatic relations on January 18, 1950. Over the past 74 years, the friendship has been nurtured by generations of leaders of the two countries and has become a common asset of the two peoples, contributing to maintaining a stable and healthy cooperation trend, bringing practical benefits to both countries.

In particular, since normalization in 1991, Vietnam-China relations have developed extensively in all areas, from politics, economics to culture, security and defense. High-level exchanges and contacts are maintained regularly in many flexible forms.

The State visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam affirms the importance and top priority given to the Vietnam-China relationship in foreign policy; thereby, continuing the highest-level strategic dialogue; strengthening the good relationship between the two leaders of the two Parties and two countries.

Through visits and contacts, senior leaders of the two Parties and countries have reached many important common perceptions, contributing to consolidating and enhancing political trust, promoting comprehensive cooperation in all fields, which is the fundamental, long-term strategic orientation for the healthy and stable development of Vietnam-China relations.

The two sides have determined to develop bilateral relations under the motto "Friendly neighbors, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, and looking towards the future" (1999) and the spirit of "Good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, good partners" (2005).

In 2008, the two sides agreed to establish the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership framework, the highest cooperation framework with the broadest and most profound connotation in Vietnam's relations with countries around the world. China is also the first country to build this cooperation framework with Vietnam.

Sixteen years after the two countries established the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, the relationship between the two Parties and two countries has maintained a trend of continuous development in a healthy and stable direction.

The political trust between the senior leaders of the two Parties and the two countries of Vietnam and China has been continuously deepened and consolidated. The leaders of the Parties, States, Governments, National People's Congresses (NPC) and the Fatherland Fronts of the two countries, through flexible forms, regularly meet, contact and exchange closely, contributing to enhancing political trust and firmly consolidating the political foundation of the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries.

Two historic mutual visits by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (October 2022) and General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping (December 2023).

In particular, after two historic mutual visits by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (October 2022) and General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping (December 2023), the two Parties and two countries have established a new position for bilateral relations, continued to deepen and elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, built a "Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future of Strategic Significance," adding strong momentum for the two Parties and two countries to continuously consolidate and strengthen the neighborly friendship and comprehensive cooperation.

The two countries have proposed the “6 more” direction including: Higher political trust; more substantive defense-security cooperation; deeper substantive cooperation; more solid social foundation; closer multilateral coordination; and better control and resolution of disagreements.

Since the two countries agreed to deepen and elevate the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, building a “Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future of Strategic Significance” with the “6 more” orientation, the bilateral relationship has continued to maintain a positive development trend, spreading strongly to all levels and sectors, forming a vibrant, effective and practical cooperative atmosphere.

The two sides are discussing and defining a number of new dialogue mechanisms. In 2024, high-level and all-level exchanges and contacts will take place regularly, in many flexible forms, both through Party, State and people-to-people channels. The two countries are looking forward to celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025 (January 18, 1950 - January 18, 2025).

According to Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, the relationship between the two countries is currently maintaining a positive development momentum, with the atmosphere of cooperation spreading strongly to all levels, sectors and people. Both sides assessed that the bilateral relationship is at its deepest, most comprehensive and substantial level ever.

(Left photo) General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping signs the condolence book at the funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. (Right photo) Comrade Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, pays his respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. (Photo: VNA)

Most recently, the leaders of the Chinese Party and State expressed special respect for the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, as demonstrated by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping's visit to the Vietnamese Embassy and sending a special representative, Politburo Standing Committee member and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Wang Huning, to attend the State Funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (July 25 and 26, 2024).

At that time, commenting on General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping affirmed that comrade Nguyen Phu Trong is a steadfast Marxist and a great leader of the Party and people of Vietnam.

Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong devoted his whole life to the Party, State and people of Vietnam, leading the Party, State and people of Vietnam to promote and achieve great achievements in the cause of building socialism, receiving the support and love of the entire Party, the entire army and the entire people of Vietnam.

In addition to bilateral cooperation, at multilateral forums, the two countries also actively coordinate to promote peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world, especially at ASEAN and United Nations forums.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his official visit to Vietnam and attended the 15th meeting of the Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation Steering Committee. (Photo: Pham Kien/VNA)

ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION HAS MANY PROGRESSES

Vietnam-China economic, trade and investment cooperation has been continuously deepened and substantiated. China remains Vietnam's largest trading partner and second largest export market, while Vietnam is China's fourth largest trading partner in the world and the largest in ASEAN. In 2023, Vietnam-China two-way trade turnover reached 171.9 billion USD. In the first 7 months of 2024, bilateral trade turnover reached 112.2 billion USD.

Vietnam's agricultural exports to China are constantly expanding. China is one of the most important markets for Vietnam's agricultural, forestry and fishery products. Vietnam's agricultural products, from fruits to processed foods, are gaining a foothold in the Chinese market.

Long Hoi Dragon Fruit Cooperative (Long An) supplies the domestic market and exports to China about more than 5,000 tons of fruit each year. (Photo: Vu Sinh/VNA)

Currently, Vietnam has 14 agricultural products officially exported to China, including bird's nest, sweet potato, dragon fruit, longan, rambutan, mango, jackfruit, watermelon, banana, mangosteen, black jelly, lychee, passion fruit and durian. In addition, the two sides have basically completed the procedures for officially exporting a number of Vietnamese agricultural products to China such as frozen durian, fresh coconut, fresh chili...

According to trade experts, since implementing its commitment in the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), China has reduced tariffs on more than 8,000 imported goods from Vietnam, including agricultural products and fresh fruits. This has opened up many opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to access a large market.

Regarding investment, as of July 20, 2024, China's total registered FDI capital in Vietnam is 28.5 billion USD with 4,754 valid projects, ranking 6th out of 147 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

In 2023 alone, China invested 4.47 billion USD in Vietnam with more than 700 projects, an increase of more than 77%, ranking 4th among all countries and territories, but leading in the number of new projects (accounting for 22.17%). In the first 6 months of 2024, China continued to rank first in the number of newly licensed projects in Vietnam with 447 newly licensed projects, with a total registered capital of nearly 1.3 billion USD.

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai gives an interview to a VNA reporter in China. (Photo: Thanh Duong/VNA)

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai, to further promote the potential and strengths of the Vietnam-China relationship in the coming time, the two countries need to maintain close coordination at all levels and channels in all fields, strengthen the review and assessment of the implementation of the common perception reached by the two Parties' top leaders, promote and improve the quality of substantive cooperation in all fields, contributing to concretizing the achievements and contents, and bringing the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries to a new height.

Cooperation in culture, education, tourism, people-to-people exchange, especially exchanges between the young generations of Vietnam and China, has become increasingly substantive, helping to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two Parties, the two countries and the two peoples. To date, nearly 60 provinces and cities of Vietnam have established friendly cooperative relations with Chinese localities.

Educational cooperation between the two countries has increased sharply. Currently, Vietnam has 23,000 international students studying in China, double the number before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regarding tourism, in the first 7 months of 2024, there were 2.1 million Chinese visitors to Vietnam, higher than the 1.7 million in 2023.

The two sides also organized many other exchange activities such as the Vietnam-China Border People's Festival, the Vietnam-China People's Forum, the Friendship Exchange between the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Chinese National People's Political Consultative Conference, and cooperation between localities, especially provinces and border areas, was enhanced in many diverse forms. These activities have contributed to consolidating a solid foundation of friendship for the Vietnam-China relationship to continue to develop healthily and stably.

OPENING A NEW DEVELOPMENT PHASE FOR VIETNAM-CHINA RELATIONS

This State visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam is his first visit to China in his new position.

The visit has special significance and importance for enhancing the relationship between the two Parties and two countries in the current context, bringing the bilateral relationship into a new stage of development that is truly more solid, stable and sustainable.

Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung said that this visit affirms the importance and top priority given to the Vietnam-China relationship in foreign policy; thereby, continuing the highest-level strategic dialogue; strengthening the good relationship between the two leading comrades of the two Parties and two countries.

During the visit, the two sides will discuss issues of concern as well as promote cooperation with a partner who is both a neighbor, a socialist country and a major country. Thereby, consolidating the foreign environment and favorable foreign position, mobilizing external resources for the successful implementation of socio-economic development goals and implementing foreign affairs and international integration as set out in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping during his State visit to Vietnam in December 2023. (Photo: Tri Dung/VNA)

According to Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, the fact that General Secretary and President To Lam accepted the invitation of General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping to make his first State visit to China after assuming his new position demonstrates the importance and top priority of both sides in consolidating and developing the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and building the Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future, which has strategic significance.

The visit is expected to be successful in many aspects.

Firstly, on the basis of the relationship that has been diligently cultivated by the leaders of the two countries, including the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the Vietnamese leaders, continuing and further promoting the positive and favorable development trend of the Vietnam-China relationship achieved after the historic mutual visits of the top leaders of the two Parties and two countries in recent times; maintaining high-level strategic exchanges, consolidating the foundation of political trust, and enhancing orientation for the development of bilateral relations in the new period.

Second, agree on major directions and measures to effectively build a Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future of strategic significance in line with the "6 more" orientation agreed upon by both sides; focus on continuing to concretize the high-level common perception and signed agreements; bring substantive cooperation to new progress, especially in areas of mutual interest such as railway connection, agricultural trade, high-quality investment, monetary finance, culture-tourism, people-to-people exchange, etc.

Third, through frank, sincere and substantive exchanges on territorial border issues, together properly handle existing issues, better control and resolve disagreements at sea, not allowing maritime issues to affect the healthy development of relations between the two Parties and two countries, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region as well as in the world./.

Delegates perform the opening ceremony of the Vietnam - China Fair 2023. (Photo: Quoc Khanh/VNA)

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/moc-moi-trong-quan-he-doi-tac-hop-tac-chien-luoc-toan-dien-viet-nam-trung-quoc-post970777.vnp