Vietnamese, Chinese government leaders hold talks on sidelines of WEF meeting

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Dalian city, China’s Liaoning province, on June 24 as part of the former’s trip to the neighbouring country for the 15th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting of the New Champions and working sessions from June 24-27.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Dalian city, China’s Liaoning province, on June 24 as part of the former’s trip to the neighbouring country for the 15th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting of the New Champions and working sessions from June 24-27.

Li welcomed Chinh’s attendance at the WEF meeting and his activities in China, and conveyed regards from General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping and other high-ranking Chinese leaders to General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, President To Lam, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien, and other Party and State leaders of Vietnam.

Chinh also conveyed wishes and regards from the Vietnamese leaders to Xi and other high-ranking leaders of China, and expressed his hope that with the support of foreign countries and international organisations, China will successfully host the WEF meeting.

Chinh and Li informed each other about the situation of respective Parties and countries, and held in-depth discussions on their relations, saying the two sides have agreed to materialise outcomes and high-level common perceptions reached during the China visit by Trong in 2022, and the Vietnam visit by Xi last year.

The two countries have also consented to promote their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and the Vietnam-China community with a shared future, towards the 75th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties in 2025.

Congratulating China on its development achievements, Chinh expressed his belief that the Chinese people will successfully implement the targets and tasks set at the 20th National Congress of the CPC.

For his part, Li also commended Vietnam’s socio-economic results, and affirmed China’s support for its efforts in building an independent and self-reliant economy in tandem with intensive, extensive and effective international integration. The Chinese leader noted his belief that Vietnam will successfully complete the targets and tasks set at the 13th National Congress of the CPV.

The PMs shared the view on bright spots of the relations between the two Parties and countries, with consolidated political trust; new cooperation mechanisms in important fields; enhanced strategic connectivity, especially in transport; rosy signs in bilateral trade; the sharp rise in Chinese investments in Vietnam; strong tourism recovery; and multiple cooperation activities between localities and people-to-people exchanges.

Vietnam considers developing its relationship with China an objective requirement, a strategic choice and a top priority in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, Chinh affirmed.

Meanwhile, Li stressed that China always regards Vietnam as a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy, and supports the Southeast Asian country to successfully carry out the cause of industrialisation and modernisation, and improve its international role.

The two sides agreed to effectively put in place the joint statement on continuing deepening and elevating the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, and building a Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

They will also maintain all-level contacts and meetings, step up exchanges and cooperation via the Party channel, and between the two Governments, as well as between the Vietnamese NA and the Chinese National People’s Congress, and between the VFF and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

At the same time, the two countries will expand collaboration in major areas like diplomacy, national defence and security; intensify friendly exchanges between localities and people’s organisations; work together to build a common land border of peace, stability, cooperation and development; well control disagreements and maintain peace and stability at sea; and enhance coordination at regional and international forums.

Chinh suggested the two sides constantly change their mindsets, take innovative measures, and stay resolved to fruitfully implement high-level common perceptions and agreements.

The two countries should step up strategic connectivity, and speed up transport infrastructure connections, he said, suggesting the early signing of a protocol to complete procedures for Vietnamese frozen durian and fresh coconut to enter the Chinese market, and the acceleration of door opening for other agricultural and aquatic products.

Chinh also mentioned the early establishment of Vietnam’s trade promotion offices in Chengdu (Sichuan), Haikou (Hainan), and Nanjing (Jiangsu), and suggested the two sides work on measures to raise the efficiency of customs clearance, upgrade border gate infrastructure, accelerate the construction of smart border gates, join hands to completely remove obstacles to some cooperation projects, and push ahead with the disbursement of China’s non-refundable aid packages to Vietnam.

The Vietnamese PM stressed the need to forge cooperation in agriculture, finance-banking, science-technology, education, culture and tourism, focusing on digital transformation, green growth, and high-tech agriculture.

The two sides should put forth a plan and a roadmap for the official operation of the Ban Gioc (Vietnam) – Detian (China) waterfalls, he said, calling on China to soon launch 1,000 scholarships to Vietnam’s Chinese language teachers.

Showing his support for Chinh’s cooperation proposals, Li affirmed China’s readiness to work together with Vietnam to deepen the practical cooperation and promote the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership following the set orientations.

China will further open its door for Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural and aquatic products and high-quality fruits, and coordinate to facilitate quarantine and customs clearance of goods, he said, adding China is also ready to coordinate in settling institution and policy problems so that bilateral trade would continue to grow sustainably and achieve new results.

The leader also suggested the enhancement of strategic connectivity, particularly in transport infrastructure, and cooperation in economy, trade and investment, and vocational training; and the expansion of collaboration in finance and monetary, making the cooperation more practical and effective, on par with the new level of the relations between the two Parties and countries.

The PMs also compared notes on maritime issues, and shared the view on the importance of controlling disagreements and maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea.

Chinh suggested the two sides seriously implement high-level common perceptions, and the Vietnam-China agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues, respect international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as one another’s legal rights and interests, carry forward negotiation mechanisms on maritime issues, satisfactorily solve issues relating to fishing boats, and well control the situation at sea.

The leaders also looked into regional and international issues of shared concern, and agreed to maintain coordination and cooperation at regional and international forums.

Chinh affirmed Vietnam’s support for China in promoting its increasingly important and active role in the region and the world at large.