Promoting the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership to a new height

General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping. Photo: VNA

This is the fourth State visit of Comrade Xi Jinping to Vietnam in his capacity as General Secretary and President of China; even more special is that this is the second visit of a Chinese leader to Vietnam in the same term.

The visit takes place in the context of 2025 being a special year, marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (January 18, 1950 - January 18, 2025). This visit contributes to promoting and deepening the framework of the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, the Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future, which has strategic significance, bringing the relationship between the two countries to a new height.

75 years of Vietnam - China relations have developed positively, achieving many important achievements.

Vietnam and China are two close neighbors. The two countries established diplomatic relations on January 18, 1950. Over the past 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the main trend in Vietnam-China relations has been friendship and cooperation. The friendship between comrades and brothers, personally established by President Ho Chi Minh and Chinese President Mao Zedong and nurtured by many generations of leaders of the two countries, has become a valuable asset of both peoples.

Over the course of time, the people of the two countries have stood side by side, giving each other great and valuable support and assistance, contributing to the success of the national liberation revolution and the cause of national construction and development of each country. The two sides have determined to develop bilateral relations under the motto of "Friendly neighbors, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, 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 framework of the Vietnam - China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, the highest cooperation framework and the 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.

In recent times, the world and regional situation has undergone many complex and unpredictable changes, affecting the global political and economic situation in many ways. However, with the attention and close direction of the senior leaders of the two Parties and two countries, together with the joint efforts of all levels, sectors and people of the two countries, the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership has developed well overall, achieving many important and substantive results.

General Secretary and President To Lam held talks with General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping on the morning of August 19, 2024, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Tri Dung/VNA

After the State visit to Vietnam by 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", and added strong momentum for the two Parties and two countries to continuously consolidate and enhance the friendly neighborly relationship 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; better control and resolution of disagreements.

On that basis, the bilateral relationship continues to maintain a positive development trend, spreading strongly to all levels, sectors and people, forming a vibrant, effective and practical cooperative atmosphere. The two sides assessed that the bilateral relationship is at its deepest, most comprehensive and substantial level ever.

Since the beginning of 2024, high-level and all-level exchanges and contacts have continued to take place in a vibrant manner, in flexible forms, both on the Party, State and people-to-people channels. Leaders of the Party, State, Government, National Assembly (NPC) and Fatherland Front (CPPCC) 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.

In particular, the State visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam in August 2024 is a particularly important foreign activity between the two countries in 2024. This is Comrade To Lam's first visit to China, carried out immediately after he was elected General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. This affirms that both countries attach importance to and wish to further deepen the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China in the new period. The visit was a great success in all aspects, contributing significantly to the building of a "Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future of Strategic Significance", contributing to peace, stability and development of the region and the world. The highlight of the visit was the joint statement issued by the two sides on further strengthening the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, promoting the building of a Vietnam-China community of shared future of strategic significance, striving for the happiness of the people of the two countries, for the cause of peace and progress of mankind. The visit added momentum to maintain the positive development of bilateral relations, creating a strong influence on all levels and sectors of both sides, forming a vibrant and practical cooperative atmosphere and promoting many substantive achievements in various fields.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Chinese Premier Li Qiang pose for a photo before their talks. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

Following the State visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam in August 2024, senior leaders of the two countries have continuously had other bilateral meetings and contacts, such as: Chinese Premier Li Qiang paid an official visit to Vietnam (October 2024); Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping on the occasion of attending the BRICS Leaders' Meeting in Kazan (Russian Federation) (October 23, 2024); Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the 8th GMS Summit, the 10th ACMECS Summit, the 11th CLMV Summit and paid a working visit to China (November 2024); President Luong Cuong met with General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping on the occasion of attending the APEC Summit Week 2024 in Lima (Peru) (November 15, 2024); Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping on the occasion of attending the G20 Summit in Brazil (November 18, 2024); General Secretary To Lam had a phone call with General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping (January 15, 2025); Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Politburo Standing Committee member and Permanent Deputy Premier of the State Council of China Ding Xuexiang on the occasion of attending the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos (Switzerland) (January 21, 2025)... The high-level exchanges and contacts that have taken place continuously and regularly have contributed to enhancing political trust and firmly consolidating the political foundation of the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries.

Recently, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (January 18, 1950 - January 18, 2025), General Secretary To Lam had a phone call with General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping on January 15, 2025. This event is an important and very good start of the Vietnam - China Humanitarian Exchange Year 2025, demonstrating the high regard and top priority of each side for the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries, orienting effective cooperation activities between the two Parties and the two countries in 2025 and the following years. During the phone call, General Secretary To Lam and General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping jointly announced the launch of the Vietnam - China Humanitarian Exchange Year 2025; agreed to coordinate well in organizing activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the Vietnam - China Humanitarian Exchange Year 2025; Promote propaganda and education among all classes of people, especially the young generation of the two countries, about the good traditional friendship between Vietnam and China...

It is clear that since the two countries agreed to elevate their relationship to a Community of Shared Future of strategic significance, the Vietnam-China relationship has developed on a more favorable trajectory, with clear and comprehensive changes in the direction of "6 more", which has been assessed by both sides as the best since the normalization of relations to date. Vietnam's position in relations with China has been enhanced. China has clearly shown its priority and importance to relations with Vietnam; General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping personally has paid great attention to the development of Vietnam-China relations. He is the highest Chinese leader to visit Vietnam the most in history; political trust between the two General Secretaries has been increasingly consolidated, especially since General Secretary To Lam's visit to China (August 2024) and the phone call between the highest leaders of the two Parties (January 2025).

At multilateral forums, the two countries have strengthened coordination and collaboration in international multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), as well as regional ones such as the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) economic cooperation framework...

Strong cooperation in many fields

Inauguration ceremony of the 110KV power transmission project from Yunnan (China) to Tuyen Quang (Vietnam), February 28, 2006. Photo: Hoai Nam/VNA

The well-developed political and diplomatic relations have become a fulcrum for expanding cooperation between Vietnam and China. In recent years, with the joint efforts of both sides, cooperation between Vietnam and China in all fields has become increasingly deeper, comprehensive and substantive. The two countries have continuously promoted practical cooperation in all fields, especially in economics, trade, investment, infrastructure development, culture, education, tourism, people-to-people exchange, etc.

In particular, economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and China has maintained strong momentum, maintained stable and sustainable growth, and increasingly deepened. Vietnam has been China's largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for many years and in 2024 became 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.

Bilateral trade turnover will reach 171.9 billion USD in 2023; 205.23 billion USD in 2024; and 51.2 billion USD in the first 3 months of 2025. Of which, China will become the largest export market for agricultural, forestry and fishery products, bringing practical benefits to millions of Vietnamese farmers.

According to Xu Ningning, Chairman of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Industrial Cooperation Committee and Executive Director of the China-ASEAN Business Council, as the world's second largest economy, China has a large market and abundant resources. Meanwhile, as an emerging market economy, Vietnam has abundant labor resources, a rapidly developing manufacturing industry, and the two countries have strong complementarities in the industrial chain and supply chain.

Mr. Hua Ningning said that the two countries have always maintained close exchanges on agricultural trade and have strong complementarities. China's huge consumer market provides ample consumption space for high-quality agricultural products such as fruits, coffee, and aquatic products from Vietnam, while China's experience and advanced technology in agricultural technology, agricultural machinery and equipment, research and development of cultivation, agricultural land, irrigation, etc. can also help Vietnam improve the efficiency of agricultural production and the quality of agricultural products, and modernize the agricultural sector.

Regarding investment, accumulated to the end of January 2025, China's total registered FDI capital in Vietnam was 31.26 billion USD with 5,195 valid projects, ranking 6th out of 149 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. In 2024 alone, China invested 4.73 billion USD in Vietnam with more than 955 newly licensed projects, an increase of 3.1% over the same period. According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, infrastructure connectivity between the two countries, especially railways, has made many important advances. The two sides have cooperated closely in planning the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway route. Vietnam strives to build this railway route in 2025 as well as complete the planning of the two Mong Cai - Ha Long - Hai Phong and Dong Dang - Hanoi railway routes in 2026; thereby contributing to facilitating the travel of people from both countries as well as promoting trade of goods. The progress of piloting the construction of smart border gates between the two countries has also made positive progress.

Regarding tourism, since the COVID-19 pandemic, China continues to be the leading market sending visitors to Vietnam. In 2024, the number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam in 2024 will reach 3.74 million, an increase of 114.4% over the same period. There are currently 400 flights between the two countries every week.

Cultural, educational and people-to-people cooperation, especially exchanges between the young generations of Vietnam and China, have helped strengthen the 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. Political-social organizations and localities of both sides have established and periodically organized many cooperation mechanisms and programs.

Educational cooperation between the two countries has increased sharply, with 23,000 Vietnamese students currently studying in China. The two sides have 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, has been strengthened 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.

In particular, 2025 was 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 (January 18, 1950 - January 18, 2025). Since the beginning of 2025, the two sides have closely coordinated and extensively implemented humanitarian exchange activities. At the end of March 2025, 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.

In addition, organizations and localities of the two countries, especially border localities, have continuously carried out many friendly exchange activities, scientific seminars, 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. 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...

Continue to develop the Vietnam - China relationship firmly, stably and sustainably

On the basis of the good development of the bilateral relationship, this State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping has important significance and symbolism for the bilateral relationship. According to Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh, this is the first foreign visit by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in 2025, the fourth visit to Vietnam by Comrade Xi Jinping as the highest leader of China and the second in the same term, demonstrating the high importance of the Party, State of China and Comrade Xi Jinping personally to the development of the friendly neighborly relationship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China.

The visit takes place at a crucial time for each Party, each country and the Vietnam-China relationship. According to Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh, 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 national development, towards the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Meanwhile, China is entering the final year of accelerating the completion of the goals in the 14th Five-Year Plan, building 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 reforms in the spirit of the 3rd Plenum of the 20th Central Committee.

It is expected that during the visit, 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 Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man; 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.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Thanh Binh, the visit is expected to add strong momentum and create a favorable foundation for the development of the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries in the new period; continue to put forward strategic arrangements and important orientations, bringing 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 consolidate political trust, mutual understanding, accelerate the implementation of agreements and cooperation projects between the two countries to achieve substantive progress, add new contents, contents, measures, directions and mechanisms so that the relationship between the two countries develops more comprehensively and practically, meeting the common aspirations of the people of the two countries, actively contributing to the cause of peace and progress of humanity.

According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, the visit will contribute to raising the level of substantive cooperation between the two countries towards increasingly high quality, efficiency and sustainability; promoting the creation of "bright spots" in high-level cooperation, especially in areas where Vietnam has demand and China has strengths such as standard gauge railways, agricultural trade, science and technology, education and training, digital economy, green economy... to meet the aspirations and interests of the people of the two countries. During the visit, ministries, branches, agencies and localities of the two sides are expected to sign about 40 cooperation documents in a series of fields, creating an important foundation for more effective cooperation in the coming time.

VNA

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/thuc-day-quan-he-doi-tac-hop-tac-chien-luoc-toan-dien-viet-nam-trung-quoc-len-tam-cao-moi-post410013.html