Beijing and Hanoi vow to further strengthen relationship

(China Daily)- China and Vietnam reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties between the two countries as President Xi Jinping met on Friday in Beijing with Luong Cuong, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told his guest, who is also a permanent member of the CPV Central Committee Secretariat, that adhering to the leadership of the communist party and the socialist system is the most essential feature of both China and Vietnam.

It also serves as the most solid political foundation for developing bilateral ties, he said, emphasizing that China views Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy.

Xi said that Beijing is willing to work together with Hanoi to take the lead in deepening high-level mutually beneficial cooperation, advocating for international fairness and justice and promoting the cause of human progress, in order to build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

As global changes keep accelerating, Xi urged China and Vietnam to grasp the political direction of the bilateral relationship from a strategic perspective, so that it continues to move forward on the right track.

As next year marks the 75th anniversary of China-Vietnam diplomatic relations and is designated as the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, Xi called on the two countries to take the opportunity to foster people-to-people friendships and consolidate the public opinion foundation for the long-term development of bilateral ties.

Friday’s meeting is the latest among frequent high-level exchanges between China and Vietnam and their political parties in recent years.

China was the first overseas trip destination for To Lam, general secretary of the CPV Central Committee, in August, two weeks after he took office.

Meanwhile, Premier Li Qiang, who is currently in Laos for a series of leaders’ meetings on East Asian cooperation, will pay an official visit to Vietnam starting on Saturday.

During his meeting with Xi on Friday, Cuong said that Vietnam and China are socialist neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, and Vietnam highly values the support provided by China during the period of national liberation and socialist construction.

Vietnam always regards the development of relations with China as an objective necessity, a strategic choice, and a top priority of Vietnam’s overall diplomacy, he said.

Noting that relations between the two parties and two countries are enjoying a robust momentum, Cuong said that Vietnam will further enhance ties, promote in-depth exchanges and cooperation in all fields, and better manage and resolve differences with China.