Vietnam, China Party leaders highly value bilateral ties in talks

Vietnam's General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary, President of China Xi Jinping highly valued bilateral relations during their talks in Beijing Monday.

Meeting with General Secretary, President Xi Jinping after a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and gives top priority to developing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China.

Regarding foreign policy, Trong noted that Vietnam adheres to the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, and is a responsible member of the international community.

The Vietnamese General Secretary once again congratulated the success of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and congratulated Xi Jinping on being trusted by the congress to continue to be elected as its General Secretary, and established as the "leadership nucleus" of the CPC.

He viewed the 20th National Congress as an important one with long-term significance for China's development, opening a new journey to build a modern socialist state by 2035, towards the direction of achieving the Two Centenaries goals.

Xi Jinping highlighted the importance of Trong's visit in bilateral ties, underlining that he is the first foreign leader to visit China immediately after the 20th National Congress of the CPC, and this is also the first official overseas trip by Trong after the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in 2021.

The Chinese leader stressed China attaches a great level of importance to relations with Vietnam, and said he stands ready to enhance the friendship and cooperation between the two countries with the motto of "friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability and future-oriented thinking" and lifting bilateral ties to new heights.

Lifting economic ties

Trade and investment continue to be the highlight in bilateral cooperation, with Vietnam being China's sixth largest partner in the world and the largest partner in ASEAN. Vietnam-China's trade volume accounts for one-fourth of the volume between China and ASEAN.

In discussions on trade, Trong emphasised that Vietnam highly values the Chinese market, wishes to increase exports to China of products in which Vietnam has strengths, and wants China to continue creating favorable conditions for and speeding up the opening of its market for Vietnam's agricultural, forestry and fishery products, at the same time maintaining a stable supply chain and facilitating customs clearance between the two countries.

He also sought China's facilitation on procedures and raising the limit of Vietnamese goods transiting China to a third country by rail, and favorable conditions for cooperation in air, road and rail transport.

Vietnam welcomes and is willing to create favorable conditions for China's large, high-tech enterprises to expand investment in the country, Trong remarked.

The two also agreed to expand cooperation in the fields of agriculture, environment, science and technology, and health.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping affirmed that China will make efforts to ensure bilateral trade relations grow in a more balanced direction, and facilitate the imports of Vietnam's agricultural, forestry and fishery products to the Chinese market.

The Chinese side is committed to providing Vietnam with no less than 1,000 government scholarships, and training no less than 1,000 Chinese teachers for its neighbor.

After the talks, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary, President of China Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of 13 documents in the fields of political cooperation, justice, trade, customs, environment, and tourism between the two countries.

The documents included those sealed between the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations and the CPC Central Committee’s International Liaison Commission; and between the former’s Commission for Internal Affairs and the latter’s Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission.

Memoranda of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; between the countries’ ministries of justice; and between their capitals Hanoi and Beijing were also inked.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade signed an MoU on strengthening joint works to ensure the supply chain between the nations with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce; a on food safety in bilateral trade with the Chinese General Administration of Customs (GACC); and another on cooperation in trade and economy with the People's Government of China’s Yunnan province.

The customs bodies of Vietnam and China, meanwhile, sealed a pact on building priority areas for collaboration.

Similar MoUs on increasing the bilateral cooperation were also inked in the sectors of ecology-environment; culture-tourism; state assets and state enterprises.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the GACC signed a protocol requiring phytosanitary for fresh bananas exported from Vietnam to China.

On behalf of the Party and State of Vietnam, General Secretary Trong cordially invites General Secretary, President Xi Jinping to visit Vietnam soon, which he gladly accepted.

General Secretary, President of China Xi Jinping presented the Friendship Medal to Vietnam's General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a ceremony in the Great Hall of the People Monday.

Xi Jinping affirmed that Trong is “a good and sincere friend” of China, “the one who guides and promotes the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries in the new era.”

He said that awarding the medal to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong symbolizes the deep affection, hope and pursuit of a better future of the two sides.

“I believe this noble award is a great encouragement for us to continue to strengthen and further develop the relationship between Vietnam and China,” the Vietnamese Party leader said.

Trong emphasized that receiving China’s noble medal is not only an honor for the General Secretary, but also shows the respect of the Chinese Party and State and China’s General Secretary, President Xi Jinping personally to the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State and the people of Vietnam.

The Order of Friendship is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in supporting China’s modernization of socialism, promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries, as well as maintaining world peace.