FMs affirm leading importance of Viet Nam-China relations

The two Foreign Ministers agreed that since the historic visits by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to China in October 2022 and by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping to Viet Nam in December 2023, the relations between the two countries have developed strongly and obtained important results.

During the above visits, the leaders of the two countries agreed to map out a new status for the bilateral ties and issued a joint statement on continuing to deepen and elevate the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and build a Viet Nam-China community with a shared future.

The two Foreign Ministers affirmed the leading importance of the Viet Nam-China relations in each country's foreign policy; underscoring the need to further strengthen collaboration and effectively carry out the high-level agreements and common perceptions in order to unceasingly advance the bilateral ties in a healthy, stable and sustainable manner.

Both sides agreed to continue frequent high-level exchanges and meetings, enhance cooperation between the two Parties, coordinate in well organizing high-level diplomatic activities between the two countries in 2024, the 16th meeting of the Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, dialogues and cooperation mechanisms in the fields of defence - security and justice.

The two sides also agreed to foster and improve the effectiveness of economic and trade cooperation, with priority given to promoting strategic transport connectivity, facilitating socio-economic exchanges, and contributing to China’s cooperation with Southeast Asia.

The two sides also agreed to reinforce coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, work together closely in land and border management and protection in accordance with the three legal documents on land border and related agreements signed between the two countries, actively open, upgrade, and recognize pairs of border gates; and accelerate the building of smart border gates.

Regarding to sea-related issues, the two sides underlined the importance of seriously implementing the agreements and common perceptions reached between the two Parties and countries’ leaders on properly controlling and settling differences.

The two Foreign Ministers also underlined the importance of fully, comprehensively, and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and joining ASEAN countries in promoting negotiations and soon finalizing a substantive, efficient, and effective code of conduct (COC) in the waters in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Foreign Minister Bui took the occasion to call upon the two countries to boost balanced and sustainable economic - trade cooperation.

He suggested China continue facilitating and increasing the import of Viet Nam’s agricultural products, create conditions for early establishing some trade promotion offices of Viet Nam in Chinese localities, and actively tackle problems of some industrial cooperation projects.

Bui suggested China accelerate railway connection with northern Vietnamese provinces, expand economic corridors in the “Two Corridors, One Belt” region to Chongqing of China, soon set up a working group for tourism promotion, increase commercial flights, and further boost people-to-people ties as well as exchanges between border localities of the countries.

In reply, Wang, who is also Director of the Office of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee's Commission for Foreign Affairs, pledged that China will actively consider expanding the import of goods, farm produce, and aquatic products from Viet Nam.

He reiterated support for road transport connectivity and the building of smart border gates to facilitate customs clearance, and for stronger educational and tourism cooperation between the two countries.

Wang also voice support for the the two countries to coordinate more closely at regional and international multilateral forums.

The same day, , Foreign Minister Bui examined the pilot operation of the landscape site of Ban Gioc (Viet Nam) - Detian (China) Waterfalls./.