Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping hold talks in Beijing (Photo: VOV)

Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong’s official visit to China manifests Vietnam’s strategy for the development of bilateral ties and helps strengthen mutual trust and orientate the Vietnam-China relationship in the coming period.

Long-term orientations for bilateral ties

Mr. Trong’s China visit is a crucially important external political event to both Parties and countries. China’s leaders understand the special significance of the visit. Mr. Trong is the first foreign leader to visit China following the 20^th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and it’s Mr. Trong’s first visit to China since the 13^th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. This demonstrates the respect Vietnam and China have for relations between their two Parties and countries.

During the visit, the two sides released a 13-point Joint Statement covering strategic orientations for bilateral ties in all aspects in the coming time. The two countries agreed to consolidate and enhance the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with the motto “friendly neighborliness, comprehensive cooperation, long standing stability, and future-orientation” and the spirit of “good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, and good partners”.

The two sides reached consensus on enhancing practical cooperation in various fields, strengthening the connection between the “Two corridors, one belt” framework and the “Belt and Road” initiative, opening the door for Vietnamese agro-forestry and fishery products, and opening Vietnamese trade offices in China.

They pledged to create favorable conditions for their businesses to increase cooperation in investment, economics, trade, and air, road, and rail transport.

Vietnam and China showed a determination to balance trade. Economist Professor Liu Rui of the Beijing People’s University said: "Vietnam is now the highest potential market in Southeast Asia and has a rapidly growing economy. This gives the two countries multiple opportunities to increase economic cooperation."

During Mr. Trong’s visit, ministries, sectors, and localities of the two countries signed 13 cooperative agreements in various fields which will be the basis for effective cooperation in the coming years.

Party leaders of Vietnam and China witness the signing of bilateral cooperative agreements (Photo: VOV)

Outcomes of the visit to be fully exploited

Party leader Trong’s visit to China was a success in all aspects. To act on the shared views reached by the two Party leaders and fully exploit the outcome of the visit, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said the two countries will maintain regular contacts at all levels to discuss important issues and maintain the stability and sound development of their relationship.

Minister Son urged the two countries to make dramatic, concrete changes and improve the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation in economics, trade, and investment.

"The two sides will take practical steps to reduce the trade imbalance, facilitate customs clearance of goods, promote safety and stability of production chains, maintain smooth supply chains, increase the import and export of high-quality agricultural products and foodstuffs, and accelerate the opening of the Chinese market for Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products," said Mr. Son.

The Foreign Minister added: "In addition, they will improve road, rail and air transport connections, enhance cooperation in agriculture, environment, science, technology, health and food and water security, support each other in green development, climate change response, and the digital economy; and continue to build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development."

Vietnam and China will work closely together to manage maritime disputes and maintain a peaceful, stable environment in the East Sea and the region. They will strictly abide by their leaders’ shared perception, respect each other’s legitimate interests, settle disputes through peaceful means in line with international law, promote government-level negotiating mechanisms on border and maritime issues, cooperate with ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and finalize the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea in a practical, effective, manner in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

72 years ago, China was the first country to establish diplomatic ties with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. During those years, the two countries have helped each other successfully implement their respective resolutions. By comprehensively and effectively realizing the shared perception of the two countries leaders and the outcomes of Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to China, the Vietnam-China relationship is ure to grow strongly in the coming time.