Vietnam places importance on comprehensive strategic partnership with China

During the course of the session, FM Son suggested that the two sides promote existing bilateral co-operation mechanisms and programmes, expand friendship exchanges between the people residing along the shared border, and effectively implement legal documents regarding land border and related agreements.

The two sides rejoiced over the positive development of joint ties over recent years, especially after the Vietnamese Party leader’s visit to China last year.

They therefore agreed that the success of the visit provides a strong impetus to the growth of the traditional friendship between the two Parties and the comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership that exists between the two countries.

Underlining the role and significance of local co-operation in terms of the overall relations between the two countries, the two sides outlined that fruitful collaboration between Vietnamese localities and Guangxi represents a bright spot in the bilateral relations.

FM Son affirmed that the Vietnamese side continues to treasure the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership with the northern neighbour, considering ties as a top priority in terms of the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, and diversification. He thanked Guangxi for providing medical equipment to Vietnam and for supporting the country in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

He proposed that the two sides seek to intensify visits and meetings among sectors and agencies at all levels, whilst taking a score of measures to further increase the efficiency of customs clearance process, thereby maintaining smooth supply chain and trading activities. This will serve to increase the volume of Vietnamese goods transiting China to third countries by rail through the Dong Dang (Vietnam) - Ping Xian (China) border gate.

The two sides should work in unison to finalise procedures to upgrade a number of border gate pairs and open new ones, while simultaneously strengthening collaboration in managing and ensuring border security, thereby facilitating friendship exchanges and traveling activities between the two countries and building a shared border of peace, stability, co-operation, and development.

For his part, Liu briefed his host on the socio-economic situation of Guangxi, affirming that the Chinese locality pays heed to the friendship and co-operation ties that exists with Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and localities. Indeed, the Chinese side hopes to work with Vietnam to realise common perceptions reached by senior leaders of the two Parties and nations, thus further deepening the relationship that exists between the two nations.

He asked for Vietnamese support to the organisation of the 20th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) in Guangxi, pledging that the Chinese locality will co-ordinate with the Vietnamese side to organise the Spring meeting for provincial Party Committees’ secretaries and the 15th meeting of the joint working group of Guangxi and Vietnamese provinces of Ha Giang, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, and Cao Bang ahead in Guangxi in 2024.

The Chinese official also put forth a number of proposals related to co-operation in various areas such as transport infrastructure connections, customs clearance facilitation, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.