President Xi’s visit underlines significance of Vietnam-China relations

President Xi will visit Vietnam on Tuesday and Wednesday as the two countries celebrate the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

This will be the third time Xi visits Vietnam in his capacity as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party and state.

“The trip not only shows the special importance that Chinese leadership places on bilateral relations but also proves that Vietnam’s position has been elevated and the country has truly become a political, economic, and security center of the region through recent diplomatic movements,” said Nguyen Tang Nghi, deputy head of the International Relations Department, University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University HCMC.

Xi’s visit is driven by China’s “southward” foreign policy, as in recent years Beijing has focused on developing relations and enhancing cooperation with ASEAN countries, as evidenced by the visa exemption agreements with Malaysia and Singapore, Nghi said.

Vietnam is an important piece in the overall picture, as the country values its relations development with China and considers it a top and strategic partner in foreign policy.

Ngo Le Van, Deputy Head of the International Relations Department of the Central Committee, said on Saturday that China prioritizes its relations with Vietnam in its neighboring diplomacy policy.

Nguyen Vinh Quang, senior advisor at the Center for Strategic Studies and International Relations Development, said “the strategic trust between the two countries is essentially the trust between the two Parties.”

The relationship between the two Parties has a history of 100 years and cooperation between the two Parties guides the relations between the two countries, he said.

“In the overall framework of the three diplomatic channels – Party, State, and people-to-people diplomacy – there is no other country in the world where the party diplomatic channel and people-to-people exchange have such a long-standing and deep relationship as between Vietnam and China.”

“New positioning, new level”

In an interview on Sunday, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo highlighted four new aspects of Xi’s visit: “new situation, new direction, new potential and new drive.”

Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu also mentioned that both Vietnam and China expect Xi’s visit to bring about a “new positioning” and “new level” in bilateral relations.

Analysts believe that Xi’s visit comes at an opportune time to promote and strengthen Vietnam-China relations. The visit to China by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the end of 2022 has been followed by a series of high-level exchange activities between the two countries.

Nghi said that “new positioning” can be interpreted as redefining a partner’s position in foreign policy, or more broadly, establishing new frameworks and directions for cooperation.

In addition to strengthening the level of cooperation between the two parties, governments, and legislative bodies, Vietnam and China might expect the bilateral relationship to extend beyond central-level interactions and macro issues to more robust relations at the local level and in specific fields.

In their recent visits to China, PM Pham Minh Chinh and President Vo Van Thuong both mentioned the initiative to promote the “Two Corridors, One Economic Belt” framework and the Belt and Road Initiative by enhancing transport connectivity and boosting border trade.

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong (L) meets with Chinese Party General Secretary, President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Oct. 20, 2023. Photo by VNA

This means “new positioning” may imply an expectation to clarify and enhance cooperation between various units and localities of the two countries, bringing a “new flavor” to the bilateral relationship.

The expectation of reaching a “new level” may imply enhancing the strategic trust between the two countries, especially since the Vietnam-China relationship has been at the highest level in Vietnam’s foreign policy partnership hierarchy for the past 15 years.

This trust needs to be demonstrated at a “new level” through China’s substantial cooperation with Vietnam in strategic areas where China leads globally such as 5G network, artificial intelligence, green technology, and green transformation.

Xu Liping, director of the Southeast Asia Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Global Times that tapping into the potential of the Vietnam-China railway could be a significant area of discussion during the visit.

In a meeting with Xi in June, PM Chinh proposed that both countries study the possibility of developing a standard-gauge and high-speed railway connecting Vietnam and China. The PM also expressed a desire for China to increase the quota for Vietnamese goods transiting through China to third countries.

“High-level leaders of both parties and countries place great importance on promoting cooperation in this field,” said Ambassador Xiong Bo, adding that China was ready to use non-refundable aid to help Vietnam upgrade and renovate the railway line from Guangxi through Dong Dang inVietnam’s northern province of Lang Son to Hanoi, as well as to accelerate the planning of a railway line from Mong Cai, Quang Ninh Province, to Hai Phong City.

The leaders of the two countries might use this visit to candidly discuss the needs and resources of each side, transforming commitments into effective cooperation in areas crucial to the future development of both countries, the region, and the world.

During the most recent visit to Vietnam by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, both countries agreed to strive to foster a peaceful, stable, and prosperous environment in the South China Sea.

“The use of terms like ‘comrades, brothers’ in messages about this visit shows the expectation of sincere exchanges about lingering issues in the relationship,” Nghi said.