Vietnam, China positive on remarkable progress in bilateral ties

FM Son and Ning hailed the strong progress made in the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between both sides over recent time, especially in terms of political exchanges and economic-trade-investment co-operation.

During their meeting the pair highlighted Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's official visit to China back in October, 2022, as an important milestone, marking a fresh development period for relations between the two parties and countries.

Emphasising the role and importance of local exchanges and co-operation in the overall relationship, both sides expressed their delight at the encouraging achievements made in substantive ties between Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and localities with Yunnan province over recent times.

They believe that this visit will practically contribute to concretising the common perception of senior leaders of the two parties and two countries in relation to enhancing friendly exchanges and mutually-beneficial co-operation between both nations’ localities.

The Vietnamese Party, State, and people always place great importance to the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive links that exist with China, identifying this as a top priority in terms of the country’s overall foreign policy, Minister Son told his guest.

The Vietnamese FM also thanked the Party Committee, Government, and people of Yunnan province for their significant contributions to fostering the ties of friendship between the two sides. This includes the investment in repairing and embellishing the Ho Chi Minh President’s relic site in Kunming City and donating a large amount of medical equipment and supplies for COVID-19 prevention and control to the nation.

The Vietnamese diplomat raised a number of proposals aimed at stepping up co-operation between Yunnan and Vietnamese localities, ministries, and sectors moving forward. This includes intensifying visits between all agencies and sectors of the two sides, effectively bringing into play existing exchange mechanisms and programmes, as well as expanding friendly exchanges between border mass organisations.

Regarding fields of co-operation, Minister Son suggested Yunnan continue to increase imports of key Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products, co-ordinate in maintaining smooth customs clearance at border gates, actively promote road and rail traffic connections in border areas, and railway connections from Lao Cai station to Ha Khau Bac station. This is along with quickly resuming direct flights transporting passengers and goods between the two sides.

He also requested that both countries continue to closely co-ordinate in the field of sustainable management and the use of water resources in border rivers and streams, as well as competently implementing three legal documents on the land border between Vietnam and China and related agreements. Other moves include completing procedures for upgrading and opening a number of pairs of border gates and openings between the two sides.

This should be in addition to boosting co-ordination in management, ensuring order and security in border areas, facilitating friendly exchanges between border people, and making joint efforts to build a land borderline between the two countries for peace, stability, co-operation, and development.

Ning briefed FM Son on the socio-economic development situation of Yunnan province, while affirming that Yunnan places special importance on friendly exchanges and mutually-beneficial ties with Vietnamese ministries, branches, and localities.

He outlined his wish to work with Vietnam to fully implement the common ideas of senior leaders of the two parties and two countries to boost bilateral relations in an extensive manner

Agreeing with the proposals put forth by FM Son, Ning emphasized his province’s willingness to maintain exchanges and meetings with Vietnamese localities, especially those sharing a border with Yunnan.

It can be viewed as essential to effectively utilise the potential and strengths, and complement each other in co-operation, thereby actively contributing to developing the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and China, he added.