The ceremony, held with the highest protocol reserved for heads of state, marked the official start of the Vietnamese top leader’s four-day state visit to China from April 14 to 17, made at the invitation of the Chinese leader.

Following the artillery salute, Party General Secretary and President Xi warmly welcomed Party General Secretary and President To Lam and invited him to the podium of honour. Military bands performed the national anthems of both countries before the two leaders reviewed the honour guard of the People’s Liberation Army of China. Children waving flags and flowers lined the route, adding to the festive and ceremonial atmosphere.

Following the welcoming ceremony, the two top leaders led their respective high-level delegations into talks, where they exchanged views on the situation of each Party and country, and discussed measures to further strengthen and deepen bilateral relations in the coming period.

The ceremonial honours reflect the importance both sides attach to the visit, which comes at a pivotal time as Vietnam enters a new development phase following its 14th National Party Congress, while China begins implementing its 15th five-year plan.

The visit also takes place one year after Chinese leader Xi’s state visit to Vietnam, highlighting the continued high-level strategic guidance of the two Parties and countries in shaping bilateral relations.

In recent times, the Vietnam–China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership has recorded strong and steady progress. Bilateral trade surpassed US$256.4 billion last year, up more than 25% year on year. China ranked second in registered investment capital in Vietnam in 2025, with US$5.96 billion, and third in the first two months of 2026 with over US$807 million. Cooperation in areas such as science and technology, education and training, and tourism has also expanded significantly.

Building on the shared strategic orientations of the two sides, the visit is expected to create new momentum for deeper and more substantive cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, tourism, science and technology, education, and innovation, delivering tangible benefits to businesses and people in both countries.

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