Xi Jinping’s Vietnam Visit to Strengthen Historic Ties and Boost Cooperation

HANOI, 14 April 2025 – Chinese President and Party General Secretary Xi Jinping will undertake a state visit to Vietnam from April 14 to 15, at the invitation of Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and President Lương Cường. The visit aims to deepen the longstanding friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two nations, rooted in shared socialist ideals and nurtured since diplomatic ties were established on January 18, 1950.

Vietnam and China, described as “comrades and brothers,” share deep cultural and historical bonds, with their relationship founded by President Hồ Chí Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong. Guided by the 1999 motto of “friendly neighborliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, and looking towards the future” and the 2005 “Four Goods Spirit” of being good neighbors, friends, comrades, and partners, the two countries formalized a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2008.

Political and Diplomatic Milestones

High-level exchanges have been a cornerstone of Vietnam-China relations. Key visits include those by Vietnam’s late Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng to China in 2022, Xi Jinping to Vietnam in 2023, and Tô Lâm to China in 2024. These engagements produced significant joint statements, including commitments to deepen ties and build a “Vietnam-China Community with a shared future.” The strategic “Six Elevations” framework was also adopted, focusing on higher political trust, enhanced security and defense cooperation, deeper economic ties, stronger social bonds, closer multilateral coordination, and better management of differences.

Booming Economic Ties

China has been Vietnam’s largest trading partner for 20 consecutive years (2004-2024) and its second-largest export market globally, while Vietnam is China’s top trading partner in ASEAN. In 2024, bilateral trade surpassed US$205 billion, a dramatic rise from $32 million three decades ago. China is also Vietnam’s sixth-largest foreign investor, with $29.55 billion across 4,922 projects.

Vietnam welcomes high-quality Chinese investment, particularly in advanced technologies, green initiatives, and digital transformation, supported by frameworks like the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges

Nearly 60 Vietnamese provinces and cities have established cooperative ties with Chinese localities. Regular exchanges, such as the Vietnam-China People’s Forum (since 2010) and the Vietnam-China Youth Friendship Meeting (since 2000), strengthen mutual understanding. In 2025, designated as the “Vietnam-China Year of People-to-People Exchange” to mark 75 years of diplomatic ties, both nations plan to expand grassroots interactions. Tourism has surged, with over 3 million Chinese visitors to Vietnam in the first 10 months of 2024, a 20% share of total international arrivals. Education ties are also thriving, with nearly 23,000 Vietnamese students studying in China in 2024, doubling the 2019 figure.

Defense and Security Cooperation

Defense and security remain key pillars, with active exchanges across military branches, joint border patrols, and collaboration on combating transnational crime. Initiatives like border defense friendship exchanges and cooperation in UN peacekeeping underscore the commitment to regional stability.

Looking Ahead

Both nations aim to sustain high-level dialogues, deepen inter-party and state diplomacy, and enhance economic connectivity, including railway linkages. Efforts will focus on fostering a peaceful environment, promoting mutual achievements, and strengthening people-to-people ties. Localities are encouraged to leverage existing mechanisms for practical cooperation in trade, tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure.

With shared determination, the Vietnam-China partnership is poised for robust growth, delivering tangible benefits to both peoples and contributing to regional peace and prosperity.

Source : Media Outreach Newswire