Brian Jeffrey
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Premier Li’s Visit to Vietnam
During his visit to Vietnam, Premier Li had important meetings with key leaders, including Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Tran Thanh Man, and Prime Minister Chinh.
In a warm and friendly atmosphere, both sides engaged in thorough discussions aiming to enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership and develop a Vietnam-China community oriented towards a shared future with significant strategic value. They also shared perspectives on regional and international matters of mutual interest.
Reflecting on their historical relationship, the leaders acknowledged the mutual support they provided during their past struggles for independence, which established a close bond described as “camaraderie plus brotherhood.”
In the reform era, they have increased cooperation and shared experiences for the benefit of their peoples.
They emphasized the importance of nurturing their traditional friendship and deepening the comprehensive partnership, aiming for a new level in Vietnam-China relations.
The leaders expressed confidence that under Xi Jinping’s guidance, China will successfully achieve its goal of becoming a great modern socialist nation.
They congratulated Vietnam on its successes and expressed faith that under General Secretary Lam’s leadership, Vietnam will meet the objectives outlined at the 13th National Party Congress and prepare for the upcoming 14th congress in 2026, working towards becoming a high-income socialist-oriented developed country by 2045.
China reaffirmed its support for Vietnam’s aspirations for prosperity, advocating for an independent economy, comprehensive reform, industrialization, modernization, international integration, expanded foreign relations, and an enhanced role in regional and global stability and development.
China prioritizes Vietnam in its neighborhood diplomacy, while Vietnam considers its relationship with China essential to its policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralism.
Both parties recognized that each country’s progress offers opportunities for the other, fostering regional and global advancement.
They committed to implementing the major agreements reached by the leaders of both countries and reasserted their dedication to a guiding principle of friendship, cooperation, and mutual respect, which includes six key objectives to enhance trust, defense cooperation, sustainable collaboration, strong societal foundations, greater multilateral coordination, and effective management of differences. These actions aim to create tangible benefits for both nations and contribute positively to regional and global peace.
The leaders agreed to maintain high-level strategic discussions to steer the evolution of Vietnam-China relations.
They plan to motivate ministries and local governments to actualize these mutual agreements and enhance cooperation across various sectors. The pivotal role of Party-to-Party relations will be emphasized, alongside the execution of the cooperation agreement signed in April 2024 between the National Assembly of Vietnam and China’s National People’s Congress.
Friendship and collaboration will also be strengthened between the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
They will enhance the Steering Committee’s role for Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation in coordinating ministries, sectors, and local entities to establish a shared community vision. They will promote mechanisms and cooperative approaches in critical areas such as diplomacy, national defense, and security.
The Vietnamese leadership expressed unwavering commitment to the “One China” policy and recognized Taiwan as part of China, endorsing the Chinese government as the legitimate authority over China. They affirmed that Hong Kong, Xingang, and Tibet’s issues are China’s internal matters and expressed confidence that these regions will thrive under Chinese governance.
The Chinese leadership praised Vietnam’s stance and supported its efforts in maintaining social stability, national security, and solidarity.
Both countries agreed to bolster defense and security cooperation as a vital aspect of their relationship.
They plan to enhance exchanges between military officials at all levels, continue border defense cooperation, conduct joint patrols in the Gulf of Tonkin, and facilitate mutual naval and coast guard visits.
Vietnam and China agreed on the importance of utilizing existing mechanisms for anti-crime cooperation, strategic security dialogues, and political security discussions to effectively address issues related to security, intelligence, counter-terrorism, and cross-border crime.
Moreover, they aim to better align their development strategies and effectively implement the “Two Corridors, One Belt” initiative alongside China’s Belt and Road plan, focusing on enhancing railway, expressway, and border infrastructure.
Both sides will encourage capable enterprises with advanced technologies to invest in each other’s countries, particularly in high-tech agriculture, infrastructure, clean energy, and green development, while also fostering a favorable business environment. They will exchange insights on state-owned enterprise reform and management, cooperation in human resource training, and strengthen collaboration on vital minerals.
Lastly, they agreed to leverage the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) to maximize potential benefits.
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Strengthening Vietnam-China Cooperation Across Various Sectors
The two nations are poised to enhance collaboration through e-commerce platforms and organized exhibitions, while also working on customs cooperation to facilitate the export of essential goods between them.
They will promote the effectiveness of their joint working group dedicated to e-commerce, supporting increased business exchanges. China encourages Vietnam to host trade promotion activities within its borders.
Both parties are keen on promptly finalizing agreements that allow for the export of Vietnamese goods to China, including items like chili, passion fruit, and both raw and processed bird’s nests. China commits to providing favorable conditions for Vietnamese agricultural products such as citrus fruits, avocados, and other livestock products to enter its market. Additionally, China is willing to help Vietnam establish more trade promotion offices in Haikou, Hainan province, and nearby regions.
On another note, Vietnam endorses China’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and welcomes the bid from Hong Kong to join the RCEP.
Both nations concurred on enhancing agricultural cooperation, particularly in cultivation and processing. They also agreed to work together on meteorology, disaster prevention, and effective water resource management to combat floods and droughts.
They emphasized their dedication to nurturing the longstanding friendship between the two countries and maintaining shared ideals. Planned activities for the upcoming “Year of Vietnam-China Humanistic Exchange 2025” will strengthen mutual understanding, especially among the youth.
Commitment to educational scholarships for Vietnamese students, encouraging student exchanges, vocational training, and collaboration among universities and research institutes was also agreed upon. The significance of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Vietnam will be enhanced.
The nations are determined to solidify multilateral cooperation, working towards building a shared future that has strategic importance. They will uphold the principles of multilateralism and support major initiatives like the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative.
In the realm of human rights, both sides are committed to open dialogues based on equality and mutual respect, opposing any politicization or double standards that affect human rights discussions.
Cooperation within global platforms such as the United Nations and APEC will be prioritized, with China supporting Vietnam’s intention to host the APEC summit in 2027.
China stands behind ASEAN’s objectives to create a cohesive, resilient community and intends to collaborate with ASEAN nations on initiatives promoting peace and friendship. Progress in negotiations for the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area version 3.0 was acknowledged by both parties.
They plan to elevate collaboration under the Mekong-Lancang cooperation framework, aiming to create a peaceful future among Mekong-Lancang nations.
The importance of conducting relationships under the principles of international law, emphasizing respect, mutual benefits, and peaceful resolutions of disagreements, was reaffirmed.
Regarding maritime matters, leaders stressed the importance of resolving disagreements peacefully to maintain stability in the East Sea and the region, adhering to agreements previously set between the two countries.
They agreed to prevent actions that might escalate tensions at sea and are committed to engaged discussions on joint developments and delineation of marine boundaries in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Efforts will continue towards a substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea that aligns with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.
The two nations aim to maximize the efficacy of the Vietnam-China Land Border Joint Committee, ensuring the proper enforcement of existing legal agreements regarding their land borders.
During the recent visit from a Chinese leader, various cooperation agreements were signed focusing on transport, customs, education, agriculture, and more.
Both sides express satisfaction with the outcomes of Premier Li’s visit to Vietnam, seeing it as a stepping stone towards fortifying the strategic community agenda between Vietnam and China.
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