The visit is of special significance to the Vietnam-China relationship in the new development period.
The state visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam takes place in the context that Vietnam has been actively implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and launching preparations for the 14th National Party Congress. The economy has been maintaining its development momentum, with high growth in the first six months of 2024, while national defence and security have been consolidated and foreign affairs and international integration have achieved important results. The international community highly appreciates Vietnam’s achievements, demonstrating their respect for Vietnam’s potential, position, and international prestige.
The political situation in China is stable, and the economy continues to recover, with GDP expanding by 5% in the first half of 2024. China has just passed a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernisation, identifying many reform measures covering all areas. China continues to boost diplomatic activities and relations with neighbouring countries and traditional partners.
Vietnam-China relations are developing steadily and have achieved many significant results. Following the official visit to China by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2022 and the state visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in 2023, the two countries agreed to continue to deepen and elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership as well as build a Vietnam-China Community of shared future carrying strategic significance and opening a new chapter in bilateral relations. The atmosphere of vibrant, effective, and practical cooperation has spread to all levels, sectors, and people. The two sides assessed that the bilateral relationship is at its deepest, most comprehensive, and most substantive level to date.
In terms of politics, trust has been consolidated with exchanges and contacts at all levels and between localities being enhanced through many flexible and vibrant forms. The Chinese Party and State expressed special respect for late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, as shown by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping’s visit to the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing, and the attendance of Wang Huning, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC and Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference,at the State Funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi.
Economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Vietnam and China has seen new developments, with bilateral trade turnover in the first six months of 2024 soaring by 24.1% over the same period last year. China continues to lead in the number of newly licensed investment projects in Vietnam. The number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam in the first half of 2024 exceeded the whole of 2023. Cooperation in education has improved strongly, with about 23,000 Vietnamese students studying in China, double the number from before the COVID-19 pandemic. The two countries are also fostering many new cooperation contents in terms of infrastructure, trade facilitation, and more.
The state visit to China is the first foreign trip of General Secretary and President To Lam in his new position, a diplomatic activity of special significance for the next development stage of Vietnam-China relations. The visit affirms the consistent foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress which is independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of foreign relations, with priority given to neighbouring countries.
General Secretary and President To Lam’s State visit to China after assuming his new position demonstrates the importance and top priority of both countries in consolidating and developing the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and building a Vietnam-China Community of shared future with strategic significance.
During the visit, the two General Secretaries and Presidents and other leaders will discuss major directions and measures to continue promoting the Vietnam-China relationship in a profound, comprehensive, and sustainable manner. On the basis of the relationship that has been diligently cultivated by the leaders of both countries, the two sides will further foster the positive and favourable development trend of the bilateral relationship, affirm the importance of common perceptions, maintain high-level strategic exchanges, consolidate political trust, and enhance the development orientation of the bilateral relationship in the new period.
May the State visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam, his spouse, and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation be a success, marking a new milestone and bringing the Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and the community of shared future into a new, profound, comprehensive, stable and sustainable stage of development.
