Vietnam, China to hold high-ranking exchange visits after mid-October

Vietnam and China agreed to prepare for high-ranking exchange visits shortly after the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th Congress on October 16, 2022.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang hold a phone talk on September 19. Photos: VGP

The idea was shared by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang during a phone talk today [September 19].

Keqiang invited Chinh and high-ranking Vietnamese officials to visit China at a convenient time.

The prime ministers said that Vietnam-China relations would enter a new stage of development with higher political trust, affirming the importance of Vietnam-China relations for each country.

They emphasized that the two countries will continue to concretize the important common perception reached in recent phone calls between General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and China’s President Xi Jinping.

Chinh and Keqiang agreed that the two sides would build their relations based on more practical and substantive cooperation and a solid foundation of friendship, and development.

Chinh requested China to extend cooperation to lift bilateral trade toward a more balanced direction with China’s facilitation of customs clearance and import of Vietnamese goods, mostly farm produce.

Accordingly, China would resume operations at all border gates and take advantage of multilateral trade agreements. At the same time, the countries will facilitate the mobility of the people from both sides.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his cabinet members during the phone talk.

Chinh also asked China to focus on investment in hi-tech areas in line with Vietnam’s sustainable development and seek solutions for stagnant projects, including the extension of Thai Nguyen Steel Corporation – Second Phase, Ninh Binh Fertilizer Company, and Ha Bac Fertilizer Company.

The two leaders discussed the possible opening of new direct flights and further cooperation against emerging challenges to ensure energy security, food security, water security, and cybersecurity, as well as curbing inflation and maintaining growth.

Keqiang agreed with Chinh’s suggestions, saying that the two sides should focus on manufacturing, agriculture, maintaining the supply chain, and welcoming more Vietnamese students.

Regarding the territories, both sides agreed to exchange dialogues on land border and waters sovereignty with a focus on solving issues based on delimitation and maritime cooperation mechanisms.

On this occasion, Chinh requested both countries to effectively implement three legal agreements on maritime issues, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

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