PM Chinh suggests high-speed railway connecting Vietnam and China

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked China side to study the possibility of working with Vietnam to develop a high-speed railway connecting the two countries.

In a meeting with Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinh also suggested China accelerate the reopening of its market for Vietnamese agricultural products, create conditions for the country to open more trade promotion offices, and give more quotas for Vietnamese goods in transit to a third country via China’s railway network.

He said Vietnam welcomed Chinese businesses that wanted to expand high-quality investment in the country, and expressed his hope for enhanced people-to-people exchanges.

Chinh noted that developing a stable, healthy, sustainable, long-term relationship with China remains a strategic option and a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and multilateralization and diversification of relations.

“Vietnam persistently supports the “One-China” principle, and is interested in China’s global initiatives and stands ready to discuss them,” he added.

For his part, Xi affirmed that China considers Vietnam a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and a strategic option for the long-term development of bilateral ties.

“China wishes and stands ready to promote relations between the two Parties and countries, making them more intensive and substantive,” he said.

Xi pledged that China will help developing countries with their industrialization and modernization, noting his country is willing to work with Vietnam in maintaining strategic exchanges, promoting all-level exchanges, expanding imports of Vietnamese goods, enhancing rail and road connectivity, and improving border gate infrastructure.

He said he welcomed Vietnam as part of China’s global initiatives for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The two leaders agreed to jointly control and properly settle disagreements, maintain peace and stability at sea, and consolidate a favorable environment for each country's development.

Meeting with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China Zhao Leji on the same day, PM Chinh suggested the two sides closely coordinate at multilateral forums and satisfactorily handle differences in the spirit of friendship and in line with high-level common perceptions and international law.

He expressed his hope that the legislatures of Vietnam and China will create a favorable legal foundation for bilateral ties, and urged ministries, agencies and localities to make high-level common perceptions a reality, as well as signed documents and agreements.

Zhao said that China attaches importance to developing cooperation and friendship with Vietnam, and stands ready to work with the country in realizing the reached agreements, thus advancing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new height.

“The NPC is also willing to foster and deepen its friendship and practical cooperation with the Vietnamese National Assembly,” he affirmed.

PM Chinh is paying an official visit to China and attending the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Tianjin from June 25-28.