(VOVworld) – General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong begins an official visit to China from April 7-10 at the invitation of Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of the People's Republic of China. The visit will enhance the firm and healthy relations between the two countries.
CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and CPC General Secretary and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping during the latter's visit to Vietnam in December 2011. (photo: VNA) |
65 years ago, on January 18, 1950, the People’s Republic of China was the first country to establish diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, later to become the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Despite roller coaster bilateral ties, friendly relations and cooperation have always been the norm.
23 years after Vietnam and China normalized relations in 1991, bilateral trade revenues had risen from 32 million USD to 55 billion USD. In the last decade China has consistently been Vietnam’s biggest trade partner and second biggest importer, after the US.
The two countries signed a 5-year plan for trade and economic cooperation from 2012-2016 during Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to China in October, 2011. During Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Vietnam in 2013 the two countries agreed to enhance economic and trade cooperation, focusing on large-scale infrastructure construction projects, transport connections, ensuring a balanced and healthy trade relation, and raising trade revenues to 60 billion USD in 2015 and 100 billion USD in 2017.
Current Chinese investment in Vietnam totals 8 billion USD, making it the 9th biggest of the 101 countries and territories invested in Vietnam.
Vietnam has more than 13,000 students studying in China and thousands of Chinese students are studying in Vietnam. Cooperation in national defense, security, culture, sports, health, and science have achieved remarkable results. Friendly exchanges between their people, particularly among border localities and young people, have been regularly organized to improve mutual understanding and friendship. Important activities include the Vietnam –China Youth Festivals in Guangxi, Vietnam-China People Friendship Festivals, Vietnam-China People Forums, and Vietnam-China Youth Friendship Meetings.
Vietnam and China have signed agreements on fundamental principles for settling border and maritime disputes.
Regular high-level exchanges have motivated political trust, guided practical cooperation, and generated conditions for resolving differences and disputes. Vietnam and China have signed several agreements and documents at different levels, which are the legal basis for long-lasting relations.
Relations between the Communist Parties of Vietnam and China have been strengthened via seminars on Party building and national management. Hotlines have been established between senior Party and government leaders of both countries since 2012. The Vietnamese and Chinese Party leaders had 3 telephone dialogues to discuss issues of their Parties and nations.
The Vietnam-China relation, enhanced by President HCM, President Mao Tse-Tung, and generations of Chinese and Vietnamese leaders and citizens, is a valuable asset for both nations. The Vietnamese Party, government, and people treasure their relation with China and want the Chinese Party, government, and people to strengthen that traditional friendly relations and their comprehensive cooperative strategic partnership.
Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to China coincides with the 65th anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic ties.