China a strategic choice and top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy

This statement was made by National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on April 8 during a meeting held with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping in Beijing.

President Xi is the first Chinese leader that NA Chairman Hue met during his official visit to the neighbouring country.

The Chinese President’s arrangement for his first meeting with NA Chairman Hue right after the Vietnamese delegation’s arrival in Beijing shows China's high regard for the relationship between the two countries and the delegation's visit.

NA Chairman Hue congratulated the great and historically significant achievements that the Party, State, and people of China have recorded, especially from the 18th Party Congress up to now. He said that he believes that the Chinese people will successfully fulfil the goals of the 20th Congress with the ultimate aim of building China into a civilized, harmonious, beautiful, strong, and modern socialist power.

He also expressed hope that the northern neighbour will make important contributions to the cause of global peace, co-operation, and development, thereby bringing greater opportunities to neighbouring countries, including Vietnam, adding that the nation consistently carries out the "One China" policy.   

For his part, President Xi affirmed that China supports Vietnamese development, stability, and success in building socialism in accordance with the country's situation. He underlined that the agreement reached by top leaders of both sides in building a Community of a Shared Future carries strategic significance, thereby opening up a new period for bilateral ties based on six major directions. These include higher political trust, more substantial defence-security co-operation, deeper practical collaboration, a stronger social foundation, closer multilateral links, and the ability to resolve differences, thus positively contributing to peace and development in the region and the world. 

The two sides showed their elation at the positive development trend of the joint relations, underlining that the two Parties and State share many similarities in ideological foundation and goals of building socialism, both striving for the interests and happiness of the people.

He affirmed that President Xi had pledged that China attaches great importance to relations with the Vietnamese side, whilst being willing to promote the relations between the two Parties and countries in a deeper and more substantial manner.

President Xi pledged that China attaches great importance to relations with the country and is willing to foster closer relations between the two Parties and countries in a deeper and more substantial manner.

The Vietnamese NA leader suggested that both sides move to strengthen political trust and intensify high-level meetings, while also pushing up exchange and collaboration through the Party, Government, parliament, and front channels, as well as in important fields such as diplomacy, public security, and defence.

He proposed that the two sides seek to enhance their strategic connectivity, create fresh momentum for bilateral ties, focus on boosting trade, expand the import of goods sch as Vietnamese farm produce, and boost connectivity with major development strategies of China. This is as well as links in railways, highways, sea, and air, whilst promoting co-operation in finance, monetary, and digital transformation.   

NA Chairman Hue also suggested that the two sides strive to increase people-to-people exchanges, thereby enhancing the role of legislators of the two sides in communications work to create social consensus and strengthening co-operation across a variety of areas. This is along with joining hands with the two Parties and States to properly deal with issues at sea in the spirit of better controlling and settling differences.     

Applauding Vietnamese proposals, President Xi affirmed his nation’s readiness to work alongside Vietnam in maintaining strategic exchanges, increasing meetings at high and all levels, as well as exchanges and co-operation through the Party channel. Other efforts include sharing experience and theory in Party building and country governance, fostering practical co-operation, accelerating strategic connections, especially in the fields of railways and smart border gates, and strengthening linkages in the fields of the digital economy, green energy, essential minerals, and emerging industries.

China welcomes Vietnamese efforts in connecting with several of their major inter-regional development strategies.   
Emphasizing that the partnership between the two legislative bodies plays an important and irreplaceable role in the relations between the two Parties and countries, the Chinese leader welcomes the National People’s Congress of China and the NA of Vietnam to sign a new co-operation agreement to improve the level and efficiency of ties, whilst actively implementing collaboration across multiple fields and at all levels.

President Xi said the two sides should actively contribute to stepping up practical links and people-to-people exchanges, especially between the youth, thus consolidating the foundation of friendship between the two peoples and sharing experience on building the rule-of-law socialist State under the Party's leadership as well as fine-tuning the socialist legal system.