On the occasion of the beginning of the Year of the Dragon 2024, Mr. Hung Ba, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Vietnam, gave a sincere interview to Dau Tu Tai Chinh newspaper.
Launching the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchange 2024 |
Proposing China to expand import of Vietnamese goods and agricultural and aquatic products |
- Sir, in recent years, China-Vietnam relations have maintained a positive development momentum. In particular, how important is the visit of General Secretary and President Xi Jinping to Vietnam in December 2023 to the relationship between the two countries?
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| General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Party and State leaders and Chinese Ambassador Xiong Ba planted the Friendship Banyan Tree in August 2023. (Photo: dangcongsan.vn) |
Ambassador Hung Ba : - First of all, I would like to emphasize that the China-Vietnam relationship is very special. General Secretary and President Xi Jinping's visit to Vietnam in December 2023 was a very important opportunity for senior leaders of the two sides to maintain and enhance high-level strategic exchanges in the new situation, based on the solid foundation of the China-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership accumulated over 15 years.
President Xi Jinping’s visit continues to define the new position of bilateral relations, as well as a new direction for further development, opening up new prospects for cooperation between the two countries in many fields; at the same time creating new momentum for the sustainable development of China-Vietnam relations.
Through the meetings, the leaders of both sides have in-depth exchanged opinions on important issues and experiences in building and managing the country. Therefore, it can be said in general that there is a new position, new direction, new motivation.
- During the high-level talks, the leaders of the two countries agreed on their views and issued a joint statement, in which they agreed to build a “ community with a shared future ”. China also welcomes and supports Vietnam’s strong development, successful industrialization and modernization of the country so that the two countries can develop together. What is the meaning of this, sir?
- Ambassador Hung Ba : I would like to emphasize that the strong development of Vietnam is also the strong development of the socialist countries in the world. In 2022, during General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to China, the two sides reached a very important consensus and joint statement, which is to support each other to follow the socialist path in accordance with the actual conditions of each country, and to develop industrialization and modernization with the characteristics of each country.
The two countries also agreed to support each other in events, common and long-term development goals, and each country's 100-year goals. I believe these are very meaningful commitments.
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| Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Vietnam Hung Ba. |
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh always said that Vietnam must build an independent and self-reliant economy, which left a deep impression on me. I think this is a very important policy for Vietnam, because foreign direct investment (FDI) currently accounts for a very large proportion of the GDP structure of the Vietnamese economy. Therefore, to achieve this goal, the most important thing is to accelerate the industrialization and modernization of the country.
On the occasion of the traditional Vietnamese New Year, I would like to send my best wishes to my Vietnamese friends. China and Vietnam are both undergoing economic reform. China's development is an opportunity for Vietnam and Vietnam's development is also an opportunity for China.
Currently, the international situation is undergoing complex and unpredictable developments, so accelerating and strengthening Vietnam's industrialization and modernization will contribute to enhancing the economy's resilience to external risks, and this is very important. Not only this time, but also in the previous time, General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping also mentioned to President of Vietnam Vo Van Thuong that China is ready to support Vietnam's industrialization and modernization process.
Chinese enterprises will also actively support and participate in Vietnam's industrialization and modernization process; including strengthening cooperation in important areas such as green economy, digital economy, energy transition, etc. I believe that cooperation between the two countries in these areas has great prospects.
- What is your assessment of the prospects for Vietnam-China trade relations as well as measures to facilitate Vietnamese goods to China and balance the trade balance between the two sides in the coming time?
- Ambassador Hung Ba : China is Vietnam's largest trading partner and Vietnam is China's fourth largest trading partner. China is actively expanding its imports of agricultural products, especially fruits, from Vietnam. In ASEAN, Vietnam is the only country that has maintained growth in exports to China.
China is one of the few export markets of Vietnam that has maintained positive growth. Therefore, China is willing to expand the import of agricultural products, especially Vietnamese fruits. As a result, in the 3 quarters of 2023, the import turnover of agricultural products from Vietnam increased by 160% compared to the same period last year. In the 10 months of 2023, the import turnover of durian from Vietnam reached 1.95 billion USD.
In early 2023, Vietnam set a target of exporting 1 billion USD worth of durian to China. At that time, I said that this number would definitely be exceeded, even doubled, and it has happened.
Recently, I met many delegations and Chinese tourists visiting Vietnam, they all said that Vietnamese durian is very delicious, has a reasonable price and is very popular in China. In addition, fresh coconut from Vietnam is also very promising. China is speeding up procedures as well as consulting on quarantine procedures for fresh coconut. The potential of this product is huge.
China and Vietnam are both developing economies and rely on exports. Vietnam's export share, calculated last year, was nearly double its GDP. Therefore, for a highly open economy like Vietnam, having a stable, open and free international trade environment is extremely important.
- It is known that China has advantages in technology, scale and quality in building transport infrastructure, a field that Vietnam is also investing in and developing. Can you assess the prospects for cooperation in this field?
- Ambassador Hung Ba : Vietnam has a unique geographical location and is an important bridge connecting China with ASEAN countries. Vietnam is also a very important country in the initiative to build the "Belt and Road" between China and ASEAN countries.
Many years ago, countries in the region had plans to build a trans-Asian railway and strengthen cooperation in this railway, in which I think the trans-Asian railway through Vietnam is the largest and has the best construction conditions. Currently, the railway connecting China - Laos has been completed and is in operation, the China - Thailand and China - Malaysia railways are also speeding up construction. Therefore, the Eastern Trans-Asian railway (through Vietnam) should also speed up construction.
China has advantages in experience, advanced high-speed rail construction technology, and a large construction workforce. In China, we have also completed high-speed rail lines with a total length of about 42,000km and expressways with a total length of 180,000km.
Currently, the railway from Jakarta to Bandung in Indonesia and the China-Laos railway have been put into operation, bringing great benefits to the people of these countries.
In fact, the leaders of both China and Vietnam attach great importance to this field of cooperation. I have personally discussed many times with the Vietnamese Minister of Transport about the prospects of this cooperation. Specifically, the project to build a railway connecting Hekou - Yunnan - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong has now entered the feasibility study reporting stage.
Or at Vietnam's invitation, China is willing to use non-refundable aid to help Vietnam upgrade the railway connecting Guangxi - Dong Dang - Hanoi. In the next step, the two countries will accelerate the planning of the railway project from Mong Cai to Hai Phong.
The above projects, once built and completed, will contribute to further improving the efficiency of trade between the two countries, improving the efficiency of goods transportation, and avoiding congestion at the border gate. Currently, the two sides are piloting the construction of a smart border gate model at Huu Nghi border gate and will carry out customs clearance 24/7.
The above projects, when completed, will help Vietnam open an economic corridor from China connecting with Central Asia and Europe, helping Vietnam shorten the distance for transporting import and export goods; at the same time, promote the economy of the northern border region of Vietnam, becoming a foreign gateway.
- As Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, what is your impression of the Vietnam - China relationship?
- Ambassador Hung Ba : I have been the Chinese ambassador to Vietnam for more than 5 years. During my tenure, I have received great support from senior Vietnamese leaders as well as relevant agencies and local authorities at all levels.
I deeply appreciate the China-Vietnam friendship, which was painstakingly built and nurtured by Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong and Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh, and is a precious common asset of the two Parties, two States and peoples of our two countries.
One of the events that left a deep impression on me was on August 25, 2023, at the invitation of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, I accompanied the General Secretary to visit and work in Lang Son province. At the Huu Nghi border gate, I planted a friendship tree with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at that time repeatedly said that in this world, between the borders of two countries, the border gate named “Friendship Pass” is the only place in the world. With the traditional friendship of “both comrades and brothers” between China and Vietnam, this is unique in the world and nothing can compare.
That day, also at the Huu Nghi border gate, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also recalled the memories of the exchange between the two Parties, the two states, and the people of Vietnam and China. He also mentioned the story of President Ho Chi Minh who once passed through the border gate, walked to visit China and left many important moments in the history of our two countries.
The name of the Friendship Border Gate was originally proposed and named by President Ho Chi Minh. At that time, President Ho Chi Minh suggested to Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and Vice Premier Chen Yi to name it Friendship Border Gate, and the Chinese side completely agreed. Vice Premier Chen Yi at that time also wrote the words at the Friendship Border Gate.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also went to the border gate that day and talked to everyone. That was also the message he wanted to send to the people of the two countries, that the Vietnam-China friendship is very special and needs to be preserved and promoted.
Thank you very much!
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