Vietnam, China issue joint statement to enhance cooperation

Vietnam and China have issued a joint statement on continuing to deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership on the occasion of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s official visit to China.

The two sides stress that Vietnam and China should make use of the advantages in close geographical proximity and mutually complementary industries, and enhance substantive and effective cooperation in all fields to better meet the interests of their people.

They agree to actively promote connectivity of their development strategies, accelerate discussion on and the signing of a cooperation plan between the two governments on promoting connectivity between the “Two corridors, one belt” Framework and the “Belt and Road” Initiative, roll out cooperation in production capacity, infrastructure construction and transport connectivity, and early complete the evaluation of the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong standard gauge railway planning.

The two sides hold that e-commerce is an important field in bilateral economic-trade cooperation, thus they will increase the exchange of policy and sharing of experience in developing cross-border e-commerce, promote collaboration between logistics firms, study enhancing electronic payment cooperation between banks and national payments switches, improve capacity for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises so as to expand commercial channels and new investments through e-commerce.

They agree to apply practical measures to reduce trade imbalance between the two countries, increase the export and import of high-quality farm produce and food products of both countries.

The Chinese side will actively speed up the process of market opening for Vietnam’s sweet potato, citrus fruits, swiftlet nest and some agricultural and fishery products. The Vietnamese side will actively speed up the process of market opening for Chinese milk.

The Chinese side supports Vietnam’s trade promotion offices in Chonqing and Hangzhou in playing an active role in economic-trade cooperation between the two countries. China supports Vietnam’s establishment of other trade promotion offices in China, and welcomes Vietnam’s participation in the fifth China International Import Expo.

The two sides are willing to well implement the MoU on enhancing cooperation to ensure supply chains between Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and China’s Ministry of Commerce, and promote safe, stable production chains and supply chains between the two countries.

In order to promote the import-export of goods, increase trade value between the two countries, they agree to push for and facilitate cooperation in aviation, land and railway transport; early hold negotiations on amending the 1992 Vietnam-China Border Railway Agreement; and support their railway companies to expand cooperation on increasing the volume of Vietnamese goods transported by railway via China.

They agree to push for early negotiations for the signing of a new agreement on fishery cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin; reach consensus on an agreement on search and rescue at sea and another on establishing a hotline on incidents in Vietnam-China fishing activities at sea, and agree to early sign those agreements.

The two sides will discuss and reach agreement on a plan to connect the railway between Lao Cai station (Vietnam) and Hekou North station (China); maintain good order and promote development in border areas.

They agree to push ahead with the implementation of the agreement on cooperation in protection and exploitation of tourism resources of Ban Gioc Waterfall (Vietnam) - Detian Waterfall (China), strive to early put it into pilot operation, thus building a model for cross-border and green tourism.

Vietnam and China agree to actively seek exchanges and cooperation in such fields as green development, climate change response, digital economy, etc, thus creating more growth points for Vietnam-China cooperation.

The Vietnamese side reaffirms its adherence to the "One China" policy, supports the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and China’s great cause of reunification, and resolutely opposes any dividing act for "independent Taiwan" in all forms and consistently advocates the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of countries. Vietnam does not develop any state-level relations with Taiwan. The Chinese side highly values Vietnam’s stance.

The two sides hold that the regional and global situation is evolving rapidly, complicatedly and unpredictably, tensions in hot spots are escalating, traditional and non-traditional security challenges are intertwined, and multilateralism, economic globalisation, global peace and development are facing a range of great difficulties and challenges. The international community needs to make joint efforts for peace, cooperation and development, giving more stability and positive energy to the world.

They stress that development is the guarantee of security, the key to addressing tough problems and bringing happiness to the people. The Vietnamese side supports and stands ready to participate in the Global Development Initiative with appropriate content and manner, and make joint efforts with other parties to contribute to the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The two sides agree to reinforce cooperation in international and regional frameworks like the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), China-ASEAN and Mekong-Lancang; well implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement; boost regional economic links and encourage countries to develop together.

The Vietnamese side backs China's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and its contributions to promoting economic and trade cooperation in Asia-Pacific.

The two sides share the view that the official visit to China by Party General Secretary Trong is a success, positively contributing to strengthening the solidarity and traditional friendship between Vietnam and China, enhancing and deepening the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era, and promoting peace, stability and prosperous development in the region and the world. The two Parties and peoples are delighted at these achievements.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong thanks Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, the Party, Government and people of China for their respectful, warm and friendly welcome; and invites Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping to soon visit Vietnam again. Xi Jinping expresses his thanks and accepts the invitation.

* Full version of the joint statement.

During Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's official visit to China from October 31-November 1, the two sides signed a number of agreements:

- Cooperation agreement between the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations and the CPC Central Committee’s International Liaison Commission.

- Memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs and the CPC Central Committee’s Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission.

- MoU on friendship cooperation for the 2022-2027 period between the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

- MoU on cooperation between the Vietnamese and Chinese Ministries of Justice.

- MoU on cooperation in the field of ecology and environment between Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

- MoU between Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and China’s Ministry of Commerce on strengthening cooperation to ensure the Vietnam-China supply chain.

- Plan on cultural and tourism cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism for the 2023-2027 period.

- MoU between the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance, and the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) on building priority areas for collaboration.

- MoU between MoIT and GACC on food safety in Vietnam-China bilateral trade.

- Protocol on phytosanitary requirements for fresh bananas exported from Vietnam to China between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and GACC.

- MoU on cooperation between Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and Beijing, the capital of China.

- MoU between MoIT and the People's Government of China’s Yunnan province on increasing cooperation in trade and economy.

- MoU on increasing exchange and cooperation in the field of state assets and state enterprises between Vietnam’s Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises and China’s State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.