Vietnam gives top priority to developing ties with China: Party leader

Vietnam always treasures and gives top priority to developing its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong told General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping during their talks in Beijing on October 31, following the welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese leader.

At the talks between the Chinese and Vietnamese delegations. Photos: VNA

Xi highlighted the visit’s significance to the two countries and their relationship, underlining the fact that Trong is the first foreign leader welcomed by China following the CPC’s 20th National Congress and he selected China for his first overseas trip after the CPV’s 13th National Congress, has demonstrated the utmost appreciation for ties between the two Parties and nations.

Trong once again congratulated the success of the CPC’s 20th National Congress, and congratulated Xi on his re-election as General Secretary of the 20th CPC Central Committee as well as his “leadership nucleus” position in the CPC Central Committee and the entire CPC.

He said the CPC’s 20th National Congress was important with long-term significance for China's development, opening up a new journey to build a modern socialist country by 2035, towards achieving the goal of "second 100 years".

The traditional friendship between Vietnam and China, founded and nurtured by Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Mao Zedong and revolutionary predecessors, is a common invaluable asset of the two Parties, countries and people, he said.

Vietnam deeply appreciates the great and invaluable assistance of the Chinese Party, State and people in the past struggle for national liberation as well as the current cause of socialism building, Trong said.

The Chinese delegation at the talks.

Regarding foreign policy, he said Vietnam pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateral of relations, proactive and active international integration; being a friend, a reliable partner and an active and responsible member of the international community.

Xi expressed his belief that under the leadership of the CPV led by General Secretary Trong, the Vietnamese people will successfully accomplish the goals and tasks set by the 13th National Party Congress.

He affirmed that the Chinese Party, Government and people attach great importance to relations with Vietnam; want and stay ready to join hands with the Vietnamese Party, State and people to ceaselessly strengthen the bilateral friendship and cooperation, develop the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a healthy and stable manner under the motto “friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability and looking toward the future" and the spirit of "good neighbours, good friends, good comrades, good partners", constantly bringing the bilateral relations to new heights.

Amid difficult conditions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the two Party leaders have held four phone talks and exchanged messages and letters on the occasion of each side’s important political events since early 2020.

Cooperation between committees and organs of the two Parties, Governments, legislatures, Fatherland Front/Political Consultative Conference, national defence and public security sectors has been promoted in an effective and practical manner.

The two countries’ localities, especially in those along the shared borderline, have strived to maintain their practical cooperation. Economic-trade-investment collaboration is a bright spot in bilateral ties. Vietnam remains China's largest trading partner in ASEAN with two-way trade accounting for a quarter of the total trade turnover between China and ASEAN. Vietnam is also the sixth largest trade partner of China in the world.

Obstacles in several joint projects have been removed, including Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway project which has been officially put into use. Both sides shared the view that amid crises and instability in many parts of the world, the stable development and achievements made by Vietnam and China are of great significance to the two countries and their people.

They agreed to continue maintaining regular high-level meetings and exchanges between leaders of the two Parties and countries to raise mutual understanding, promptly deal with arising problems in bilateral relations and maintain the healthy and stable development of Vietnam - China relations.

The two leaders emphasised the importance of strengthening and upholding the strategic orientation role of the party-to-party relationship, promoting theoretical collaboration between the two Parties, effectively implementing the cooperation plan and personnel training cooperation plan between the two Parties for the 2021-2025 period, enhancing the sharing of experience in Party and political system building, personnel work, corruption prevention and protection of the Party ideological foundation.

Host and guest agreed to uphold and improve the efficiency of existing cooperation mechanisms between the two Parties and countries, especially high-level meetings and the Steering Committee for Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation, thus contributing to the effective implementation of important agreements and common perceptions of high-ranking leaders.

They promised to continue with effective implementation of cooperation mechanisms between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the National People’s Congress of China, between the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; further deepen cooperation in the fields of diplomacy, national defence-security, increase coordination between border guards and law enforcement agencies, and offer effective support at multilateral forums.

They pledged to improve the efficiency of cooperation in economy, trade and investment. Vietnam attaches special importance to the Chinese market and wants to increase exports of its strength to China, Trong said, adding that Vietnam expects China to continue offering support to and step up the progress of opening the market for Vietnamese agro-forestry-fishery products.

The Vietnamese delegation at the talks.

Vietnam welcomes and stays ready to create favourable conditions for China’s major and hi-tech enterprises to expand investment in the country, he said.

Xi affirmed that China will strive to maintain two-way trade in a more and more balanced manner and make it easier for Vietnam to export agro-forestry-fishery products to China in the near future.

Both sides consented to deal with remaining problems in bilateral relations, reinforce cooperation in improving production capacity and actively promote connectivity within the "Two Corridors, One Belt" framework with the Belt and Road Initiative, expand cooperation in the fields of agriculture, environment, sci-tech and health care.

The Chinese side committed to providing Vietnam with no fewer than 1,000 Government scholarships and training at least 1,000 Chinese language teachers for Vietnam.

The two Party chiefs proposed the two sides continue facilitating their people' travel, soon resume commercial flights, tourism and trade activities; offer more support to localities, particularly those in border areas, to strengthen exchanges and cooperation while extending coordination between Vietnamese localities and promising counterparts of China.

Regarding border and territory issues, they vowed to strengthen the effective management of the borderline in accordance with signed documents and agreements, promote the early pilot operation of tourism cooperation in Ban Gioc-Detian Falls.

On issues at sea, they shared the view that maintaining peace and stability at sea holds extreme significance for the development of the two Parties and countries.

Trong suggested both sides abide by high-level common perceptions and respect each other's legitimate interests; settle disputes and disagreements by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); uphold negotiation mechanisms at sea and speed up delimitation and discussion on development cooperation; fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), toward reaching a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

Trong invited Xi to visit Vietnam at the earliest time. The Chinese leader thanked and accepted the invitation with pleasure.