General Secretary, President To Lam meets Chinese Premier Li Qiang

Premier Li warmly congratulated General Secretary To Lam upon his election as the President of Viet Nam, and appreciated comrade To Lam's decision to choose China as his first foreign visit in his capacity as the top Party and State leader of Viet Nam, which indicates the high regard and top priority that the Party and State of Viet Nam attach to the relations with China.

Li expressed his belief that the visit would inject strong momentum into the development of the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and the Viet Nam-China Community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

He afffirmed that China remains steadfast to the pursuance of the friendship policy with Viet Nam, considering Viet Nam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy.

The Party and Government of China consistently support the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, led by General Secretary and President To Lam, to successfully achieve the goals set out at the 14^th National Party Congress, and realize the vision of transforming Viet Nam into a developed, high-income country by 2045.

General Secretary and President To Lam reassured that Viet Nam consistently regards the development of neighbourliness, friendship, and comprehensive strategic cooperation with China as an objective requirement and a top strategic choice in its foreign policy.

Viet Nam sincerely wishes and is determined to work with China to comprehensively advance bilateral ties to a new high, with substantive, mutually beneficial cooperation across sectors serving as a key foundation and driving force for stable, healthy and sustainable relations between the two Parties and nations in the new period.

The two leaders noted with pleasure at the strong development of relations between the two Parties and countries, particularly in economy, trade, investment, tourism, and railway connectivity, which have seen robust growth and new breakthroughs and created an unprecedentedly vibrant landscape of exchange and cooperation between sectors, levels, and localities of the two countries.

Both sides agreed that the two Parties and countries share broad common interests, while their economies are highly complementary and hold significant untapped potential. They pledged to strengthen solidarity, enhance comprehensive cooperation and mutual support, and further promote political and economic trust, effectively building a Viet Nam–China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, and bringing the bilateral relations into a new phase of development based on the "six major orientations".

The two sides agreed to enhance multilateral coordination, better manage differences, and maintain peace and stability at sea, consolidating a favourable environment for each country's development.

General Secretary and President To Lam underscored the importance of adhering to high-level common perceptions, respecting each other's legitimate rights and interests, resolving disputes through peaceful means and in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and handling issues related to fishing vessels and fishermen satisfactorily.

He also emphasized the need to soon conclude negotiations on a substantive, effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in line with international law, including the UNCLOS 1982./.