The attendance of Vietnam’s State President Vo Van Thuong at the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) 2023 in Beijing, China, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, is remarkable both for bilateral and multilateral cooperations.
| Vietnam’s State President Vo Van Thuong on Oct 17 leaves Hanoi for the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) 2023 in Beijing, China. Photos: VNA |
Vietnamese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu shared the view with local media on President Thuong’s trip starting today [October 17] until 20.
It’s the President’s first multilateral foreign affairs since he took office in March 2023, and BRF, the third of its kind, was resumed after the Covid-19 pandemic. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative - a massive China-led infrastructure project that aims to stretch the entire world.
High-ranking officials included in the Vietnamese delegation are Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Head of the State’s Office Le Khanh Hai, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, Party Secretaries of Lang Son and Lao Cai provinces – two localities bordering China.
Vice Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vut told the Vietnam News Agency that the event provides a chance for Vietnam to show its commitment to active connectivity and cooperation for regional and global economic ties amid the slow recovery of the global economy.
The State President and high-ranking officials are scheduled to discuss with representatives of more than 140 countries and organizations important issues that matter to the recovery of each country and the global situation as a whole. The fields of mutual concern are green growth, digital transformation, hi-tech agriculture, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and startups, among others.
The visit, which coincides with the 15th anniversary of the upgrading of Vietnam-China relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, will include meetings with Chinese senior leaders to enhance political trust and maintain the relations, while creating new motivations for the cooperation to concretize deals inked during the visit paid by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in October 2022.
Given the global economic slowdown, the President’s attendance at the 3rd BRF will strengthen regional and international economic ties, partly due to Vietnam’s significant economic openness.
The discussions of topics like green growth, the digital economy, innovation, SMEs, the fight against corruption, and global integration are appropriate for Vietnam’s development orientation and will help to generate lessons and increase economic cooperation.
| General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and China's President Xi Jinping with the agreements signed on October 31, 2022. |
Vietnam and China are expected to talk about ways to promote more high-level exchanges, and more sustainable and equal trade, investment, and economic relations.
Strengthening infrastructure links is one of the key issues, particularly under the “Two Corridors, One Belt” – a connectivity initiative involving Vietnam and China, and the “One Belt, One Road” initiative – a global infrastructure development strategy. They are designed to foster a cooperative mindset, which is essential for localities, branches, and ministries.
The two nations’ relations will enter a new phase as a result of their close cooperation, which will increase political trust, and substantial partnership, and improve the resolution of disagreements.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai told local media that he believed Vietnam’s voice will be heard during the President's significant speeches at the 3rd BRF, which will be attended by senior leaders from many nations and members of the business community. It also fosters regional connectivity, strengthens ties with other countries, and helps the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals be implemented successfully.
Additionally, this is a chance to highlight socioeconomic development successes, promote Vietnam’s development priorities, and draw in outside funding for initiatives like green transformation, digital transformation, and inclusive and people-centered growth.
Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo said in many fields, practical cooperation between the two nations has reached its highest level ever, and there remains room for growth. China is Vietnam’s largest trade partner while Vietnam is China’s biggest trade partner among ASEAN member states and China’s fourth largest behind the US, Japan, and South Korea.
In 2022, the two-way trade expanded 5.47% to US$175.56 billion and the January-September figure reached $122 billion. In terms of investment, China was the second largest investor in Vietnam so far this year with $2.1 billion in 478 projects, behind Singapore.
China has been Vietnam’s biggest tourist market for years. In 2019, before Covid-19, Chinese visitors to Vietnam hit 5.8 million, accounting for one-third of Vietnam’s total international arrivals. From the beginning of this year, more than one million Chinese tourists came to Vietnam and the number is expected to increase rapidly as the ambassador expected.
