On the occasion of the successful organization of the 8th Defense Friendship Exchange between the Ministries of Defense of Vietnam and China in Lao Cai from April 11-12, 2024, Lao Cai Newspaper interviewed comrade Duong Duc Huy, member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department, Chairman of the Vietnam - China Friendship Association of Lao Cai province about strengthening friendly exchanges and cooperation in recent times to clarify the diplomatic relationship between Lao Cai province (Vietnam) and Yunnan province (China).
* Reporter: Could you briefly introduce the characteristics, traditions and advantages of Lao Cai in cooperation with China?
* Comrade Duong Duc Huy: Lao Cai is a mountainous, border province located in the Northwest of Vietnam with a natural area of 6,383.89 km 2 , bordering Yunnan province - China. With an important geopolitical position, Lao Cai is a province located on a vital traffic axis, including roads, railways, waterways and in the near future, air routes; especially the Hai Phong - Hanoi - Lao Cai railway (Vietnam) connecting with Yunnan (China) and the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway. Therefore, Lao Cai becomes a bridge, promoting development and exchange in all fields between Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries with the Southwest region of China. Currently, Lao Cai has become an economic and cultural center in the upper Red River region.
Nature has endowed Lao Cai with rich natural conditions, diverse terrain, abundant resources, which are great potential for agricultural development with many valuable vegetables, flowers, fruits and medicinal herbs (such as Panax notoginseng, Codonopsis pilosula, Angelica sinensis, Eucommia ulmoides, Ligusticum wallichii, Ganoderma lucidum, etc.). Lao Cai has beautiful natural landscapes, typically the Hoang Lien Son range with the peak of Phan Si Pang (the roof of Indochina) associated with the Sa Pa National Tourist Area and many famous landscapes and landscapes, creating many types of tourism associated with places such as Bac Ha, Bat Xat, Bao Yen, Muong Khuong, Si Ma Cai, etc. Mineral resources such as apatite mine, Quy Xa iron mine, Sin Quyen copper mine, Nam Thi graphite mine and many other precious and rare mineral resources have created momentum for the mining and processing industry.
Lao Cai has a long history, diverse culture, and strong national identity. Nearly 20,000 years ago, it was home to many different ethnic groups and branches, typically the Tay, Nung, Dao, Mong, Giay, Kinh, Muong... The customs, habits, and cultures of ethnic groups with different identities converging in this land create the cultural and social characteristics of Lao Cai.
In the renovation process, under the leadership of the Party, the rich history, culture, tradition of patriotism, solidarity, hard work and creativity have been promoted, creating a combined strength; together with rich and diverse natural resources, it is a comparative advantage for Lao Cai to develop rapidly, comprehensively and sustainably.
Based on the role and geopolitical position of the province, Lao Cai has been trusted by the two countries' senior leaders to host the Vietnam - China Border Defense Friendship Exchange program twice (the second time in 2015 and the eighth time taking place on April 11 and 12, 2024). This is an important political activity, contributing to promoting the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and China. With the tradition of friendly cooperation along with the geographical location and potential advantages of Lao Cai and Yunnan provinces, they will complement and support each other in the process of exchange and cooperation for mutual development.
* Reporter: The friendly cooperation activities between Lao Cai (Vietnam) and Yunnan (China) have recently achieved many important results. Could you give some examples to show the effectiveness of these activities?
* Comrade Duong Duc Huy: Over the past years, with the joint efforts of both sides, the trend of developing the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two provinces has continuously developed in a comprehensive direction and achieved positive results, namely:
Firstly, on friendly exchanges: The two sides regularly maintain delegation exchanges at all levels and sectors to strengthen friendly cooperation, including delegations of leaders of the two provinces who regularly visit each other. In 2015 and 2017, the top leaders of the two provinces signed agreements to implement friendly exchanges, promote and expand friendly cooperation between the two sides. In particular, at the end of 2023, the Lao Cai Provincial Working Group led by the Provincial Party Secretary had talks and exchanges with the Yunnan Provincial Party Secretary and a number of localities in Yunnan Province. To date, 6 pairs of districts, towns and cities of the two provinces have signed agreements to establish friendly district/city relations; 6 pairs of villages and hamlets on both sides of the border and 10 border posts of Lao Cai Province with 19 border units of Yunnan Province have organized friendship twinning. Over the past two years, at the beginning of the year, the two sides have coordinated to organize the Cross-Border Spring Festival and the Vietnam-China Border People's Festival in Yunnan Province (China) and Lao Cai Province (Vietnam), respectively.
Second, cooperation in trade and investment : Every year, the two sides take turns organizing the Vietnam - China Border Trade Fair in Lao Cai city and Ha Khau district to introduce and promote products and goods, creating conditions for businesses and traders of both sides to meet, exchange and sign contracts. In 2022, despite being heavily affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, the import and export turnover through the border gates of both sides still reached nearly 2.3 billion USD; in 2023, it reached more than 2.1 billion USD. In Lao Cai province, there are currently 11 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with investment capital from China, of which 5 projects are from Yunnan province (China) with a total investment capital of 377 million USD. China is currently one of the largest FDI investors in Lao Cai province.
Third, tourism cooperation: The coordination to promote connectivity, propaganda, and tourism image, the tourism cooperation model of "two countries, one destination" of the two sides has had a great effect in improving the quality and quantity of tours in a professional and effective manner. Most of the tourist routes in Yunnan (China) and tourist routes in Lao Cai, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh (Vietnam) have been well exploited. Statistics in 2023, the total number of visitors to Lao Cai reached more than 7.2 million, of which Chinese tourists entering through Lao Cai International Border Gate were about 300 thousand (accounting for about 54% of the total number of international visitors to Lao Cai). Vietnamese visitors to China reached over 748 thousand. In the first quarter of 2024, the total number of visitors to Lao Cai reached over 2.3 million, with more than 120,000 Chinese tourists entering through Lao Cai International Border Gate (accounting for about 46.9% of the total number of international visitors to Lao Cai), and 416,000 Vietnamese tourists to China. The two sides also regularly organize tourism promotion through the Vietnam - China International Trade Fair, Kunming International Tourism Fair, etc.; through bilateral and multilateral cooperation to open more tourist routes for Chinese tourists to Vietnam and vice versa.
Fourth, cultural and social exchanges and cooperation: Cooperation in the field of education has achieved many important results, with many Lao Cai students studying at universities and academies in Yunnan province. Educational institutions on both sides have also continuously increased exchanges and experiences, promoted cooperation, and contributed to strengthening the friendly relationship between the two localities. The "One Track, Two Countries" cycling race in Lao Cai city (Lao Cai province) and Hekou district (Yunnan province) held in recent years has attracted many athletes from provinces and cities of both countries to participate.
Fifth, cooperation on traffic connection: The two sides have actively discussed and implemented procedures to implement the construction of a road bridge across the Red River in the border area of Ban Vuoc (Bat Xat, Lao Cai, Vietnam) - Ba Sai (Hekou, Yunnan, China). On December 12, 2023, the two sides officially signed the Agreement and Protocol on bridge construction. This is the basis for the two sides to coordinate in implementing the following work. The two sides also actively coordinated to promote the implementation of planning for the 1,435 mm standard gauge railway line Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong and discussed and agreed on a connection plan to soon invest in the construction of the railway section connecting from Lao Cai Station (Vietnam) to Hekou Bac Station (China).
Sixth, agricultural cooperation: The two sides have established a mechanism for joint action, jointly controlling forest fires across the border; coordinated to prevent acts of deforestation, illegal trading and transportation of forest products across the border; actively implemented agricultural exchange and cooperation activities according to signed cooperation agreements, such as transferring science and technology in growing mulberry trees, fruit trees, and vegetables, etc.
Seventh, cooperation in border and border gate management: Border management agencies of both sides have coordinated to effectively implement the contents of the three legal documents on border management signed by the two governments. Regularly organize bilateral negotiations to unify the construction of border river and stream embankments according to the decentralization of the Vietnam - China Land Border Joint Committee. Build a model "Model Border Gate" at the Lao Cai (Vietnam) - Hekou (China) International Road Border Gate pair.
Eighth, cooperation in the field of crime prevention and control: The two sides regularly exchange and receive crime information, cooperate in capturing suspected criminals and criminals hiding across the border, promptly hand over to each other for handling, well serve the investigation, solving cases, preventing and fighting crimes in border areas, contributing to ensuring order and security in border areas.
Ninth, cooperation in the field of environmental protection: The two sides have agreed on cooperation contents such as: Management, exploitation, use and protection of water resources and ecological environment of border rivers and streams; environmental protection in rural border areas; control of transportation, import and export of waste, waste, toxic substances across the border...; Border districts and cities of the two sides also signed a coordination program on environmental protection and biodiversity protection.
Tenth, cooperation in cross-border labor management: The two sides actively research and promote cooperation in cross-border labor management, coordinate the implementation of measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of cross-border workers, and prevent illegal exit of workers. According to the agreement between the two sides, before the Covid-19 epidemic, Lao Cai province sent more than 1,000 workers to work at enterprises operating in Ha Khau district, Yunnan province.
* Reporter: Could you please tell us about the factors that will promote the exchange and cooperation between Lao Cai in particular and the northern border localities of Vietnam in general with China in the coming time?
* Comrade Duong Duc Huy: There are many factors promoting the exchange and cooperation between the two sides, including the following factors:
- The content of the Joint Statement "On continuing to deepen and elevate the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and building a community of shared future between Vietnam and China has strategic significance" between General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping during his State visit to Vietnam from December 12-13, 2023, including many contents related to cooperation between Lao Cai province and Yunnan province.
- Results of the visit and working session of the Lao Cai Provincial Delegation (Vietnam) to Yunnan Province (China) led by Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Dang Xuan Phong, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation with Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee, Vuong Ninh (from January 24 to 27, 2024). Especially the common perception of the leaders of the two sides on continuing to well implement the contents of the leaders of the two parties, the two states and the two provinces previously signed in the fields of economy, trade, infrastructure construction and traffic connection; enhancing friendly exchange activities between the two provinces.
- The important achievements in comprehensive cooperation between the two sides in recent years, along with the potential, advantages, and room for cooperation, especially in the fields of import and export of goods after Vietnam upgraded the expressway, expanded the standard gauge railway, built smart border gates, the Lao Cai - Ha Khau model border gate...
The clear policies of the two Parties and States, together with the potential and advantages of both sides, will be an opportunity to promote trade relations, develop tourism, services, and cultural and sports exchanges between the two provinces.
* Reporter: With its role, what will the Vietnam - China Friendship Association do to continue to foster, consolidate and deepen the friendly relations between the two sides, comrade?
* Comrade Duong Duc Huy: The promotion of diplomatic relations between Lao Cai and Yunnan provinces in recent years cannot be separated from the great support of the two countries' senior leaders and the active participation of the two countries' people, in which the Vietnam - China Friendship Association plays an important role in promoting people-to-people diplomacy, contributing to strengthening the trust of the two countries' people. Therefore, in the coming time, the association has identified a number of key tasks:
Firstly, closely following the guiding ideology and orientation of the Communist Party of Vietnam's leadership on diplomacy, especially that of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in the book "Building and developing a comprehensive and modern Vietnamese foreign affairs and diplomacy imbued with the identity of "Vietnamese bamboo", in which promoting the role of the three pillars of Party foreign affairs, State diplomacy and people's diplomacy to strengthen propaganda, consulting, organizing political, cultural and exchange events to enhance understanding between senior leaders, specialized agencies and people of the two provinces of Lao Cai (Vietnam) and Yunnan (China), contributing significantly to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, firmly protecting independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Second, thoroughly understand the importance of the relationship between the two Parties, two countries and the people of Vietnam and China, and at the same time raise awareness of the role and important contributions of the Association in strengthening the relationship between the two Parties and two countries, and act as a bridge to promote cooperation in the fields of economy, tourism, culture, people... between the two provinces.
Third, the Association continues to strengthen research - strategic consulting and foreign information; focus on building and developing staff and members, especially paying attention to building a younger generation of members...
Fourth, constantly innovate the content and methods of better operation to continue to contribute to strengthening and consolidating the traditional friendship; promote and affirm the role of people-to-people diplomacy, contribute to promoting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China and the two provinces of Lao Cai and Yunnan into substance and effectiveness, bringing practical benefits to the people and businesses of the two provinces and preserving and promoting the good traditional relationship between Vietnam and China.
* Reporter: Thank you very much, comrade!
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