Top leaders of Vietnam, China hold talks in Beijing

Welcoming Lam, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Party and State on a state visit to China, Xi congratulated his guest on being elected as General Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee and President of Vietnam.

He once again offered deep condolences over the passing of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, appreciating the deceased’s enormous and significant contributions to the revolutionary cause of Vietnam, the China-Vietnam relations, as well as the development of socialism around the world.

Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and President To Lam (L) talks with China’s Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, on Aug. 19, 2023. Photo by baoquocte.vn

Xi expressed his belief that the Vietnamese Party and State will continue upholding Party General Secretary Trong’s legacy to obtain even greater achievements on the path of Doi moi (Renewal) and socialism building.

The Chinese leader emphasized that the first state visit to China and also the first overseas trip by Lam as the top leader of the Vietnamese Party and State holds extreme significance as it reflects the great importance and top priority that both Parties and countries give to the Vietnam – China ties.

It is now an important point of time for the two countries to elevate the bilateral relations to a new height that is more intensive and practical in all aspects, he remarked, stressing that Vietnam is a priority in China’s foreign policy and that China supports Vietnam’s perseverance in the Party’s leadership and promotion of the socialism building.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State, and people, Party General Secretary and President Lam thanked the China’s Party Central Committee for sending condolences and holding many special acts over the passing of General Secretary Trong. He considered the moves a strong demonstration of the height of the two Parties and two countries’ relations, along with Xi’s special sentiments towards the late leader.

Party General Secretary and President Lam noted that he hopes to join hands with General Secretary and President Xi along with other high-ranking leaders of the Chinese Party and State to continue nurturing the traditional friendship and promoting the Vietnam – China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and a community of shared future that carries strategic significance.

He underlined that Vietnam always attaches importance to and give the top priority to the friendly neighborliness, the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and the community of shared future that carries strategic significance with China.

The Vietnamese leader also affirmed the wish to work with his counterpart and other high-ranking leaders of China to inherit and well bring into play the long-standing friendship between the two Parties and the two countries, and bring the bilateral ties to a new stage of increasingly stable, sustainable, and long-term development. At the talks, the two leaders discussed the situation of each Party, each country, as well as the ties between the two Parties and the two countries.

They noted with satisfaction that the relations between the two Parties and the two countries, especially since the historic mutual visits by their top Party leaders in 2022 and 2023, have sustained the development trend with many bright spots recorded as in line with the six major orientations, namely higher political trust, more practical and deeper defense – security cooperation, more solid social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, and better control and settlement of differences.

Lam stated that amidst complicated and unpredictable developments in the world and the region, Vietnam stays steadfast in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, and persists with the “four no’s” defense policy.

Xi strongly affirmed that China persists with its policy of friendship with Vietnam and always considers Vietnam a priority direction and strategic choice in its neighborhood diplomacy policy.

The leaders had an in-depth discussion on major orientations to strengthen trust, reinforce friendship and enhance substantive cooperation between the two sides across all fields, maintain peace and stability at sea, and ensure the healthy, stable and sustainable development of the Vietnam-China relations following the “16-word” motto and the “four-good” spirit.

They reached high consensus on promoting political trust, maintaining regular exchanges and meetings among high-level leaders of the two Parties and countries, attaching importance to the strategically guiding role of the Party channel for the overall bilateral relations, and continuing to deepen theory cooperation through mechanisms such as theory conference between the two Parties, sharing with each other the latest theoretical and practical achievements recorded by each Party and country in a timely manner, contributing to the cause of each Party and country.

The leaders underlined the significance of strengthening and promoting practical cooperation areas. Accordingly, they concurred to continue bolstering collaboration in security and defense, boosting economic, trade and investment cooperation, including the promotion of connectivity under the “two corridors, one belt,” “belt and road” initiatives, fostering railway and road infrastructure connections, strengthening cooperation in supply chain as well as economic cooperation among border localities, and increasing exchanges in the reform of state-owned enterprises.

Lam suggested that the two sides strengthen cooperation in constructing major and symbolic works to match their political trust, demonstrating the advanced science-technology development of China. He asked for China’s support in soft loans, technology transfer, human resources training, and high-quality investment in key transport infrastructure projects of Vietnam, as well as China’s increase of investment cooperation in areas where China has many advantages such as green economy and digital economy.

Xi pledged that China is ready to increase imports of Vietnamese agricultural products, expand Vietnamese trade promotion offices in China, and provide favorable conditions for high-quality farm produce of Vietnam to reach its market.

Underlining that the two sides are heading to the celebration of the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2025, the top Vietnamese and Chinese leaders agreed on the necessity of further enhancing people-to-people exchanges, promoting mutual understanding and friendship sentiments between the two countries’ people, especially the youth. They agreed to designate 2025 as the “Year for Vietnam-China Humanistic Exchange”.

The leaders also discussed international and regional issues of shared concern, stressing the coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums and international mechanisms on the foundation of the legitimate interest of the two countries, making positive contributions to the common interests of the international community.

Regarding issues at sea, the two sides had a sincere and straightforward discussion and agreed to effectively implement reached high-level perceptions, working hard to better control and settle differences.

Lam proposed that the two sides respect each other’s legitimate interests, settling disagreements through peaceful measures in line with the UN Charter and international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), seriously and fully realizing the Declaration on Code of Conducts of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and working for a substantive and effective Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

Lam took the occasion to invite Xi to soon visit Vietnam. The latter accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Concluding the talks, Lam and Xi witnessed the signing of cooperation documents between ministries, agencies and localities of the two sides across areas of Party school affairs, import-export of agricultural products, radio and television, press and communications, health care, infrastructure, economy, trade, industry, and banking.

Following the talks, the Chinese leader treated his Vietnamese counterpart to a tea party, a special form of contact maintained during many high-level visits in recent years between the top leaders of the two Parties and countries, demonstrating the respect and spirit of “comradeship and brotherhood” between them.

In a fancy, cozy and friendly atmosphere, the two leaders reviewed the tradition of friendship between the two Parties and countries, talked about tea culture in the customs and practices of each country, re-evaluated the common perceptions just reached at their talks, and emphasized the importance of lifting bilateral relations to a new height.