Deepening and elevating the Vietnam - China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership

“In the context of the current good development of the relationship between the two countries, the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping will certainly create more momentum to deepen and elevate the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership...”, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai emphasized in an interview with The Gioi & Viet Nam newspaper before the visit.

Làm sâu sắc và nâng tầm quan hệ Đối tác hợp tác chiến lược toàn diện Việt Nam - Trung Quốc

General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping welcomed General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during his visit to China from October 30 to November 1, 2022. (Source: VNA)

Ambassador, please tell us how significant this visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping is to the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership? Could you share the important contents and highlights of this visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China? At the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and his wife, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Van Thuong and his wife, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping and his wife will pay a State visit to Vietnam from December 12-13, 2023.

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai answers questions from the press. (Source: VNA)

This is the third visit to Vietnam by Comrade Xi Jinping as the Head of the Party and State of China. The visit takes place at a very meaningful time, right on the occasion of the two countries celebrating the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, continuing the high-level exchange activities between the two Parties and the two countries since the historic visit to China by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (October 30 - November 1, 2022). The visit demonstrates the importance of the Party and State of China and General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping personally to the Vietnam - China relationship. During the visit, the senior leaders of the two Parties and the two countries will discuss in depth major and comprehensive orientations on deepening and elevating the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China; promoting the tradition of exchanges between the senior leaders of the two Parties and the two countries to further consolidate political trust; Actively promote the fields of cooperation to go deeper and deeper, contributing to bringing the bilateral relationship to a new stage of development that is more substantial and effective. Inheriting the tradition of friendship and practices between the two sides, the Party, State and people of Vietnam attach great importance to the visit, and will give General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping a special welcome, full of friendship and brotherhood. In recent times, the Vietnam - China relationship has continued to maintain a stable development momentum, with new developments, especially after General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to China. In that bright picture, which field of cooperation is the most impressive highlight in the relationship between the two countries, Ambassador? First of all, it is necessary to affirm that the official visit to China by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (October 30 - November 1, 2022) has created a strong impetus for the two countries to continuously consolidate and strengthen the neighborly friendship and comprehensive cooperation, creating a favorable foundation to bring the Vietnam - China relationship to a new, comprehensive and sustainable development stage. In recent times, with the joint efforts of both sides, the Vietnam - China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership has overall continued to maintain a stable development momentum, achieving many important results. In particular, since the beginning of this year, after China optimized its Covid-19 prevention and control policy, direct exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have been officially restored and achieved many positive developments. Regarding political relations, high-level exchanges and contacts have taken place closely, contributing significantly to enhancing political trust between the two Parties and the two countries. President Vo Van Thuong attended the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRI) hosted by China (October 2023). Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh paid an official visit to China and attended the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Tianjin (June 2023), the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the 20th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) in Nanning (September 2023). Standing member of the Secretariat Truong Thi Mai visited and worked in China (April 2023). During these trips, the two countries' senior leaders had many important contacts, continuing to propose major measures to effectively implement the important common perceptions of the two top leaders, creating a strong driving force to promote the friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between Vietnam and China to develop stably and healthily.

Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and President Vo Van Thuong pose for a photo with high-ranking Vietnamese delegates attending the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRI) in Beijing on October 20. (Source: VNA)

Cooperation and exchanges through the Party channel, between the two Governments, the National Assembly/National People's Congress, the Fatherland Front/CPPCC as well as between important ministries and branches such as Foreign Affairs , National Defense, Public Security, etc., border localities and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have achieved many substantive results. The two sides have just successfully organized the 15th meeting of the Vietnam - China Bilateral Cooperation Steering Committee (December 2023) with many rich results. Economic and trade cooperation continues to be a bright spot in the relationship between the two countries. In the context of a decrease in trade between China and its partners, Vietnam is one of the few partners that has maintained stable trade with China. The two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and China in the first 10 months of the year reached 139.2 billion USD (according to Chinese customs data, it reached 185 billion USD). China remains Vietnam's largest trading partner and second largest export market, while Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in ASEAN and China's eighth largest partner in the world. In terms of investment, in the first 11 months of 2023, China invested 3.06 billion USD in Vietnam, accounting for 18.7% of the total newly licensed foreign investment capital, ranking 4th (after Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong), but leading in the number of new investment projects in Vietnam (accounting for 22.1%). The two sides also actively coordinated to gradually remove and resolve outstanding problems in a number of previous economic cooperation projects. Cooperation in other areas such as tourism, culture, and education continued to make progress. China has basically restored commercial flights with Vietnam. Currently, there are more than 200 flights between the two countries every week. In the first 11 months of 2023, there were 1.5 million Chinese visitors to Vietnam. China has re-issued visas for Vietnamese students and workers returning to China...

Performances by professional actors and artists from Jinping County, Yunnan Province, China within the framework of a special cultural exchange program between Vietnam and China, on November 4 at the People's Square of Lai Chau Province. (Source: VNA)

The Vietnam-China land border remains peaceful and stable. The two sides have closely coordinated in implementing legal documents on the Vietnam-China land border, strengthening security and safety management in border areas. The two sides have closely coordinated and properly handled arising issues on the basis of three legal documents on the land border. Regarding maritime issues, the two sides reached a common understanding on properly controlling disagreements, maintaining peace and stability at sea in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, while actively promoting negotiation mechanisms on maritime issues, fully and effectively implementing the DOC, and striving to build a substantive, effective and efficient COC. In addition, the two sides have also actively coordinated at multilateral forums to promote peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world, promote the central role of ASEAN, and comply with the United Nations Charter and international law. In the context of the "both comrades and brothers" relationship between the two countries developing well, this visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping will certainly create a new turning point and new momentum for the relationship between the two countries. How does the Ambassador evaluate this assessment and what are his expectations for the future of the Vietnam - China relationship in the coming time? Vietnam and China have a long-standing traditional friendship, which has been built and nurtured by many generations of leaders and people of the two countries. In the context of the current good development of the relationship between the two countries, the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping will certainly create more momentum to deepen and elevate the Vietnam - China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, creating a foundation for all levels and sectors of the two sides to actively deepen and expand cooperation, bringing practical benefits to the two Parties, two countries and two peoples. To further promote the potential and strengths of the bilateral relationship, I believe that in the coming time, the two countries need to closely coordinate, seriously and fully implement the common perception of the high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and two countries as well as bilateral agreements, contributing to further strengthening political trust; jointly removing difficulties and obstacles, promoting and improving the quality of substantive cooperation in all fields. I firmly believe that, on the basis of the advantages, potentials, needs and foundations of the existing bilateral relationship, with the determination and joint efforts of the two Parties, two countries and peoples, the Vietnam - China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership will develop strongly in the coming time, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. Thank you very much, Ambassador!

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