Yu Shuhui, a long-standing figure in China–Vietnam friendship circles and a former healthcare worker from China’s Guangxi province, shared this view while speaking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondents in Beijing ahead of the visit.

Recalling her meeting with the Vietnamese leader in Guangzhou in August 2024 during his first state visit to China as Party chief, Yu said she was deeply impressed by his sincerity and respect for the long-standing friendship between the two countries, noting that those gestures reflected a clear commitment to advancing the bilateral relations.

As a person who directly participated in, witnessed and inherited the friendship between China and Vietnam, Yu said both high-level visits carry profound historical significance, practical value and long-term strategic importance, fully reflecting the deep “comradely and brotherly” ties between the two countries in the new era.

From a historical perspective, these high-level visits represent a continuation and reaffirmation of the traditional friendship between the two nations, she noted.

Yu described the Vietnamese leader’s visit as an important step in deepening political trust between the two countries, which, as neighbouring socialist nations, regard each other as a priority in their foreign policies.

According to Yu, the visit is expected to promote extensive strategic exchanges, enhance frank dialogue on shared development goals as well as differences in cooperation, and sustain the long-standing friendship between the two Parties and countries. It also helps maintain stable bilateral cooperation and underscores the strategic importance of Vietnam–China relations. In the long term, the visit contributes to building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

Amid complex regional developments, the high-level visit is expected to strengthen bilateral consensus, boost cooperation in trade, social affairs, culture and tourism, and contribute to maintaining peace and stability, paving the way for a new phase of mutually beneficial cooperation and generating fresh momentum for sustainable development and shared prosperity in the region, she said.

Sharing her expectations, Yu recalled her time providing medical assistance to Vietnam during the war, describing it as an unforgettable experience. She expressed her hope that the two countries will remain good neighbours and continue cooperation for mutual development.

She also voiced expectations for the two sides to further promote their long-standing friendship, strengthen people-to-people ties, expand practical cooperation across sectors, and uphold mutual respect while properly handling differences. She stressed the strategic importance of continuing to build the China - Vietnam community with a shared future toward common development and prosperity.

Yu’s personal connection with Vietnam began in 1968, during the country’s resistance war to safeguard its territorial integrity. At the time, China provided significant support, including the construction of Nan Xishan Hospital in Guilin, Guangxi province of China to treat wounded Vietnamese soldiers.

The hospital was established under the direction of Premier Zhou Enlai and staffed by 278 medical professionals from major hospitals in Beijing. At just 20 years old, Yu was among the young health workers sent to support the effort. Over the span of eight years, the hospital treated over 5,000 wounded Vietnamese soldiers, performed more than 2,000 surgeries, and donated 780,000 millilitres of blood.

She has since been honoured with invitations to major events in Vietnam, including the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, and has taken part in official meetings with Vietnamese leaders.

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