Vietnam and China set sights on higher-level economic, trade relations
VOV.VN - Vietnam and China agreed to prioritise railway connectivity, promote more balanced trade and expand high-quality investment during a meeting in Beijing on April 15 between Party General Secretary and President To Lam and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
At the meeting, the Vietnamese leader proposed elevating economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation to new heights, with a strong focus on strategic infrastructure connectivity, particularly railway development.
He called for breakthroughs in cross-border rail links, including stronger connections to Central Asia and Europe, alongside enhanced cooperation in financing, technology transfer and workforce training to help Vietnam master the operation and maintenance of electrified railway systems.
The Vietnamese side also urged China to facilitate greater market access for its agricultural, aquatic and livestock products, support its participation in the “Big Market for All: Export to China” initiative, and expand electricity imports from China.
In addition, Party General Secretary and President To Lam proposed deepening cooperation in high-tech sectors such as artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, smart cities and free trade zones, while promoting collaboration in education, finance, agriculture and environmental management.
On the Chinese side, Premier Li Qiang expressed support for strengthening practical, mutually beneficial cooperation and agreed on prioritising strategic infrastructure connectivity, especially railway projects linking the two countries.
He affirmed that China is willing to increase imports of high-quality Vietnamese agricultural products, encourage Chinese enterprises to expand high-quality investment in Vietnam, and jointly build stable and resilient regional supply chains.
Li also proposed expanding cooperation in emerging areas such as digital transformation, innovation and artificial intelligence, while promoting people-to-people exchanges and implementing concrete programmes under the Vietnam–China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026–2027.
The Premier expressed his hope to soon hold an in-person meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, and to establish a constructive working relationship between the two leaders, in order to further advance practical cooperation across key sectors.
Both sides noted that bilateral relations have maintained strong momentum, particularly in trade, investment, tourism and railway connectivity, with increasingly dynamic exchanges at all levels.
They shared the view that the two economies are highly complementary and hold significant untapped potential. They pledged to further strengthen political and economic trust while advancing the building of a Vietnam–China community with a shared future of strategic significance.
On regional and maritime issues, both sides agreed to better manage differences, maintain peace and stability at sea, and create favourable conditions for development.
The Vietnamese leader stressed the importance of respecting each other’s legitimate rights and interests, and resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He also called for substantive progress toward an effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.
Vietnam, China top leaders hold talks, agree to deepen strategic cooperation
VOV.VN - Vietnam and China will further deepen political trust, enhance strategic coordination, and expand practical cooperation across key sectors, including infrastructure connectivity, trade, investment, energy and tourism.
