On the morning of February 21st, in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh province hosted the 2025 Spring Meeting between the Party Secretaries of Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang , and Ha Giang provinces (Vietnam) and the Party Secretary of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China) . Attending the conference were: Nguyen Xuan Thang, Member of the Politburo , Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, and Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics ; Vu Dai Thang, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee; and the Party Secretaries of Hai Phong, Lang Son, Cao Bang, and Ha Giang provinces. Representing the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China) was Comrade Tran Cuong, Member of the Central Committee, Secretary of the Regional Party Committee, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Congress.
The Spring Meeting Program is an annual local-level diplomatic activity aimed at implementing and concretizing the high-level common understanding of the leaders of the Vietnamese and Chinese Parties and States. The 2025 Spring Meeting is the inaugural diplomatic activity of the “Vietnam-China Humanitarian Exchange Year 2025,” commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (1950-2025). This is an opportunity for the five provinces/regions to reflect on the past journey. From there, they will propose solutions to build increasingly substantive, effective, and sustainable cooperative relationships between the provinces/regions, with the goal of jointly building a peaceful, stable, friendly, and developed border, bringing prosperity and happiness to the people on both sides. This actively contributes to strengthening friendship and political trust, further promoting and deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and building a Vietnam-China Community with a shared future, which is of strategic significance.
In a friendly atmosphere, the Party Secretaries of the provinces of Quang Ninh, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, and Lang Son (Vietnam) and the Party Secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China) reviewed the results of cooperation between the two sides achieved over the past year.
Accordingly, in 2024, the provinces and regions proactively and comprehensively implemented the common understandings reached at the 2024 Spring Meeting, achieving significant results. External relations activities at the provincial and region leadership levels, as well as exchanges and interactions at all levels, were vibrant and effective. People-to-people exchanges became increasingly substantive. Border management was implemented strictly and effectively, contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, stable, cooperative, and developing border. The provinces and regions seriously implemented and coordinated border management and protection according to the three legal documents on the Vietnam-China land border and the signed bilateral agreements. Based on the cooperation contents outlined in the Spring Meeting, positive results were achieved in the fields of tourism, trade, transportation, health, education, and border gate management between the provinces and regions.
Attending and speaking at the program, Politburo member and Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang welcomed Guangxi Province and the provinces of Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, and Ha Giang for continuing to effectively implement the mechanism of the Spring Meeting between Provincial Party Secretaries, Regional Party Secretaries, and the Joint Working Committee Conference between the five localities. He highly appreciated the creative idea of both sides to expand the participation of Hai Phong City of Vietnam in the Meeting.
Comrade Nguyen Xuan Thang emphasized that localities in both countries are important entities contributing to the successful implementation and practical application of the common understandings of the two countries' high-level leaders. The cooperative relationship between localities is a new driving force promoting the cooperation between the two countries in a deeper and more comprehensive way. To actively promote friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides, he hoped that localities would work together to create more substantive and effective breakthroughs in cooperative relations. This includes creating breakthroughs in friendly exchanges and people-to-people connections, especially strengthening exchanges and contacts between leaders and agencies at all levels, and further promoting people-to-people exchanges. At the same time, we must create breakthroughs in infrastructure connectivity, especially transportation and digital infrastructure; think together about innovation and explore cooperation in emerging fields such as: scientific and technological development, innovation, digital transformation, high-tech fields such as artificial intelligence, big data, cybersecurity, semiconductor chips…; and create breakthroughs in cross-border development management to build a peaceful and friendly border, bringing increasingly prosperous, happy, and fulfilling lives to people in border areas.
Speaking at the conference, Comrade Vu Dai Thang, Member of the Central Committee of the Party and Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, affirmed: Under the leadership of the "four good" spirit And the "16-word motto" has given the people of both countries in general, and the five provinces/regions in particular, profound confidence in a new, stronger, and more substantive stage of development for the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China.
In order to fully utilize the potential and advantages of the provinces and regions, as well as the achievements of cooperation in the past, and to promote exchanges and cooperation between the four border provinces of Vietnam and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, making them increasingly developed and substantive, Comrade Vu Dai Thang, Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, proposed that in 2025, the five provinces and regions continue to effectively implement the Joint Declarations and common understandings of the high-level leaders of the two Parties and two States; effectively utilize existing exchange and cooperation mechanisms, in which the Spring Meeting mechanism between the Secretaries of the provinces and regions plays a leading and guiding role in ensuring the full and effective implementation of cooperation contents in various fields.
Furthermore, we will continue to promote effective and substantive exchanges and cooperation between local Party committees; encourage and facilitate strong promotion of people-to-people exchanges, cultural and social exchanges between the two sides; and continue to promote exchanges and cooperation between Party organizations, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and mass organizations. At the same time, we will strengthen propaganda about the traditional friendship between Vietnam and China; actively coordinate the organization of people-to-people exchanges, cultural, artistic, and sports activities to practically contribute to commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and China and the Vietnam-China Humanitarian Exchange Year; and expand friendly exchanges, increase understanding, and strengthen the bonds of affection between the people of the provinces and regions.
The Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee also requested that all parties effectively implement the Minutes of the Spring Meeting 2025, and carry out cooperation within the framework of the Joint Working Committee mechanism, especially in the fields of trade, investment, tourism, health, science and technology, agriculture, cross-border labor management, justice, logistics, and transportation connectivity. At the same time, they should actively participate in and coordinate the research work of the Working Group studying models for building cross-border economic cooperation zones between Vietnam and China. All parties should accelerate the upgrading and opening of new border gates and crossings along the border between the two sides; research and cooperate in implementing smart border gate models; and build transportation infrastructure at border gates.
The relevant parties will strengthen cooperation to facilitate customs clearance, thereby increasing customs efficiency and import/export turnover through border gates between Vietnamese localities and Guangxi; actively report to the central agencies of both countries to promptly implement the planning for two standard-gauge railway lines: Lang Son – Hanoi and Mong Cai – Ha Long – Hai Phong... They will also enhance the regular and timely provision and sharing of information on the investment environment and investment attraction policies; and promote cooperation in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, tourism, and agriculture.
Simultaneously, we will continue to strictly implement the three legal documents on the Vietnam-China land border and related agreements, contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, stable, cooperative, and developing border region for the happiness of the people.
Speaking at the conference, Comrade Tran Cuong, Secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Party Committee, affirmed that the exchanges and cooperation between the five localities have been implemented on schedule. Friendly neighborly relations continue to be maintained; political trust is constantly being fostered; key areas are being implemented effectively; and difficulties and obstacles in the cooperation process are basically being resolved promptly through coordinated efforts.
The Secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Party Committee suggested that in the coming period, the five provinces/regions should continue to maintain regular exchanges, promote the connection of development planning; exchange practical experiences and socialist theory; and strengthen the implementation of the contents of cooperation memoranda between the parties. Along with that, they should maintain the effectiveness of the Spring Festival Meeting mechanism and the Joint Working Committee Conference; implement the pilot cross-border industrial cooperation zone between Mong Cai and Dongxing; jointly build a China-Vietnam artificial intelligence innovation cooperation center; and promote cooperation in new fields such as digital transformation and artificial intelligence products and services.
The comrade also suggested that the parties promote "hard connections" in high-speed rail, expressways, and border gate infrastructure; and strengthen "soft connections" in smart customs. Guangxi actively cooperates in supporting Vietnam in planning the standard gauge railway lines from Lang Son to Hanoi and from Mong Cai to Ha Long and Hai Phong. In addition, they actively coordinate in organizing commemorative activities, people-to-people exchanges, cultural, artistic, and sports events... to strengthen bonds and cultivate the comprehensive strategic partnership.
The comrade suggested that the five provinces/regions continue to coordinate closely and effectively in border management and protection in accordance with the provisions of the three legal documents on the Vietnam-China land border, in order to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and mutually developing border.
Based on the discussions and agreements reached, the Party Secretaries of Quang Ninh, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, and Lang Son provinces (Vietnam) and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership and promoting the building of a strategically significant Vietnam-China Community with a shared future.
The parties agreed to thoroughly understand and continue to comprehensively implement the Vietnam-China Joint Statements and important common understandings reached by the leaders of the two Parties and States; and to continue implementing the action plan for the period 2024-2026 between the Party Committees of Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Cao Bang, and Ha Giang provinces of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Party Committee of the Communist Party of China on further enriching the content of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China, contributing to building a strategically significant Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future at the local level.
The parties agreed on cooperation contents focusing on five specific directions: Strengthening exchanges and cooperation between local Party committees; Enhancing close coordination in land border management, building a peaceful, friendly, and prosperous Vietnam-China border; Strengthening substantive cooperation in key areas; Enhancing people-to-people and mass organization exchanges; Strengthening cooperation in tourism, media, culture, science and technology, education and training, health, and agriculture.
In particular, with a strong spirit of innovation in thinking and organizational methods to promote further cooperation between Vietnamese and Chinese localities, the provinces and regions have agreed to expand the Spring Meeting Program and the Joint Working Committee through the joining of Hai Phong city to the Spring Meeting and Joint Working Committee mechanism.
Contributing to the success of the event, the relevant authorities and border localities on both sides signed 29 agreements and memoranda of cooperation in the fields of: health, transportation, trade, tourism, cross-border labor management, agriculture, education and training, information, communication, youth exchange, political and social organizations, etc.
The delegates took a commemorative photo.
In his concluding remarks at the Spring Meeting program, Comrade Vu Dai Thang, Member of the Central Committee of the Party and Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, affirmed: The 2025 Spring Meeting program was a great success. With great effort and high determination, the provinces, cities, and regions will thoroughly and effectively implement the directives of Comrade Nguyen Xuan Thang, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, and Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, as well as the opinions contributed at the program, to enhance the effectiveness of the Spring Meeting mechanism, promote cooperation between provinces and regions in an increasingly substantive and effective manner, and continue to be a comprehensive and effective cooperation mechanism at the local level between the two countries. Through this, it will contribute to socio-economic development, bring practical benefits to the people of both sides, and actively contribute to the development and deepening of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and China.
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