As previously reported by us, To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, paid a state visit to China from April 14-17, his first foreign visit since his recent election as state president.
The majority of his high-level political meetings were held in Beijing on April 15. As reported by the Xinhua News Agency, meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader said that his country will advance high-quality comprehensive strategic cooperation with Vietnam and accelerate the building of a higher-level China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
“Your visit to China at the earliest opportunity after being elected president of Vietnam demonstrates the great importance you have attached to the development of China-Vietnam relations,” Xi said, adding that China has always regarded Vietnam as a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy.
Xi expressed confidence that under the strong leadership of the CPV Central Committee headed by Lam, Vietnam will firmly follow the path of socialism and strive toward its two centennial goals of transforming Vietnam into a high-income and developed socialist-oriented nation.
Lam said Vietnam congratulates China on the successful completion of its 14th Five-Year Plan and its historic achievements, and believes that China will smoothly implement its 15th Five-Year Plan, continue to advance high-quality development and socialist modernisation, achieve the Second Centenary Goal as scheduled, and become a pillar and primary driving force for world peace and development. Vietnam will firmly regard the development of relations with China as an objective necessity, a strategic choice and a top priority.
Xi said the leadership of the communist party is the most essential feature and the greatest strength of socialism, and defending the socialist system and the ruling position of the communist party is the greatest common strategic interest of the CPC and the CPV. The two sides must maintain a high degree of strategic vigilance and strong strategic resolve, always remain confident in their path and system, and ensure that all reform will not change the direction of the path or the nature of the system.
Lam said Vietnam will work with China to upgrade the level of cooperation in economy, trade, investment, railways and other infrastructure, as well as tourism, and step up cooperation in education, training, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges, and sub-national cooperation, adding that efforts will be made to better manage the land border and maintain maritime peace.
The Vietnamese newspaper Nhân Dân adds that the two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the positive developments in bilateral ties in recent years. Notably, high-level strategic exchanges have become increasingly frequent; cooperation mechanisms have been more comprehensive, diverse, and trustworthy; and defence and security cooperation has evolved from exchanges to more substantive activities. Economic, trade, and investment ties, along with transport connectivity, have seen new breakthroughs, while local-level cooperation and people-to-people exchanges have remained vibrant. Coordination in multilateral frameworks has also grown closer.
Continue reading Xi Jinping meets with To Lam: The leadership of the communist party is the most essential feature and the greatest strength of socialism