China, Vietnam vow to bring benefits to peoples, contribute to regional peace

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, on Wednesday met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi, and the two sides vowed to bring greater benefits to the two peoples, and make positive contributions to peace, stability and development of the region and the world.

Xi said he and Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, jointly announced building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, opening a new chapter in bilateral ties.

Noting that China and Vietnam have strong economic complementarities and close economic ties, Xi said the two sides have signed the plan on the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle," which opens up new space for the two countries to expand practical cooperation.

China is willing to expand imports of high-quality Vietnamese products, and maintain close ties with Vietnam's industrial and supply chains, Xi said, pledging to strengthen connectivity, and expand cooperation in emerging fields such as new energy and digital economy.

Calling on both sides to strengthen exchanges and share experience in Party and state governance, Xi urged efforts to expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation to let the younger generations pass down the friendship between the two countries.

China and Vietnam should be alert to and oppose any attempts to mess up the Asia-Pacific, he said, urging the two sides to strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs and jointly maintain a favorable external environment.

For his part, Chinh said Vietnam-China relations have withstood the test of time and history and will not be affected by any interference provoked by external forces. 

The building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future marks a major historical milestone for the two countries, charting the course for Vietnam-China relations, he said.

He underscored the importance of strengthening Vietnam-China relations, adding that it is the top priority and strategic choice of the CPV and the Vietnamese government, and also the strong expectations of the Vietnamese people.

Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and supports China in playing an important role in international affairs, Chinh said, vowing to maintain close high-level exchanges, enhance cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, locality and security, step up multilateral coordination, and enrich the idea of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

It is believed that the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future will benefit the two peoples, and make contributions to regional peace, stability and prosperity, he added.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, shakes hands with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi, Vietnam, December 13, 2023. /Xinhua)