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Liu Jianchao visits Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos

In the first week of September, Minister Liu Jianchao of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC), paid visits to the southeast Asian countries of Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. Vietnam and Laos are fraternal socialist countries of China and the contemporary relations between all four countries are deeply rooted in their common struggle against the US imperialist war of aggression for national independence and salvation.

Minister Liu travelled first to Cambodia and on September 3 met with Hun Manet, who assumed office as his country’s new Prime Minister on August 23, shortly after a general election saw another resounding victory for the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). Hun Manet asked Liu to convey his sincere greetings to General Secretary Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. He said, the victory of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) in Cambodia’s seventh general election reflects the Cambodian people’s high recognition of the CPP’s governance and their expectations for the new government. The new government will continue to firmly adhere to the CPP’s friendly policies towards China and make the relationship between Cambodia and China even better. I will choose China as my first official outbound visit after taking office as Prime Minister, he said. On September 11 it was announced that that visit will take place, September 14-16.

The following day, Minister Liu met with Hun Sen, President of the CPP, who served as Prime Minister from November 1998 to August 2023. Hun Sen said that his party’s victory in the July 23 general elections also reflects the satisfaction and support of the Cambodian people for the achievements in the development of China-Cambodia relations. The Cambodian side appreciates the Chinese side’s long-standing support and assistance to Cambodia’s national development and is willing to strengthen strategic alignment with the Chinese side, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, closely coordinate and cooperate in multilateral affairs, and jointly safeguard regional and global stability and development.

Liu also met with Norodom Chakravuth, President of the FUNCINPEC party, which is generally described as Cambodia’s royalist party. Chakravuth affirmed that FUNCINPEC has long upheld King Father Norodom Sihanouk’s friendly policy towards China, always considering the CPC as a good and true friend. FUNCINPEC is ready to contribute to the building of the Cambodia-China community with a shared future. His party expressed gratitude for the long-term support from the CPC and the Chinese government to the Cambodian royal family, and its commitment to deepening friendly exchanges and cooperation with the CPC. Since the time of Norodom Sihanouk, the Cambodian royal family has maintained a close relationship with the Asian socialist countries and their ruling communist parties.

Continuing to Vietnam, on September 5, Minister Liu met with Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

Nguyen Phu Trong asked Liu to convey his warm greetings and best wishes to General Secretary Xi Jinping. He said, as the first foreign leader to visit China after the 20th CPC National Congress, held in October 2022, I received a warm and friendly reception from the CPC and the Chinese people. In particular, General Secretary Xi Jinping had in-depth and friendly exchanges with me. I sincerely welcome and look forward to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s visit to Vietnam again at an early date to discuss plans for the development of relations between the two Parties and the two countries under the new situation, and to lead Vietnam-China relations for new and greater development.

The Vietnamese leader added that the Vietnam-China relationship has a long history and has become stronger over time. Just as President Ho Chi Minh remarked, China and Vietnam enjoy comradely and brotherly friendship. The Vietnamese side will always remember the great support and assistance provided by the CPC and the Chinese people for the Vietnamese side in all historical periods, and always regard developing relations with the CPC, the Chinese government and people as a top priority.

Liu said, in the face of complex and volatile international and regional situations, China and Vietnam should further strengthen unity and cooperation, implement the important consensus reached by the general secretaries of the two parties, work together to deal with various risks and challenges on the way forward, effectively promote the respective national development and socialist causes, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. If the two Parties, countries and peoples stay united, the friendship between China and Vietnam will grow deeper.

He also held talks with Le Hoai Trung, Head of the Commission for External Relations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Speaking highly of China’s great achievements in the past ten years since it entered the new era, Le Hoai Trung believed that under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, Chinese comrades will certainly achieve the second centenary goal. The Vietnamese side firmly supports socialist China in growing stronger and making greater contributions to the development of the world and the region. The Vietnamese side insists on giving top priority to developing its relations with China.

While meeting with representatives of all walks of life of Vietnam including think tanks, media, and friendly organisations, Vietnamese comrades told Liu that, as socialist countries led by communist parties, the two sides should take the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as an opportunity to strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen exchanges and mutual learning in state governance and administration, firmly establish a common direction of progress, solve the problems of the times, and promote the causes of socialism of our two countries for continuous development.

Liu also led a CPC delegation to pay respect to the leader of the Vietnamese revolution, Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum.

The final stop of Minister Liu’s regional tour was in Laos, where, on September 8, he met with Thongloun Sisoulith, General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and Lao President.

Thongloun asked Liu to convey his sincere greetings and best wishes to General Secretary Xi Jinping. Thongloun said, at the end of last year, I paid a successful state visit to China upon invitation, during which General Secretary Xi Jinping and I reached important consensus on the relations between the two parties and the two countries, and vigorously led and promoted the construction of the Laos-China community with a shared future.

He added that the Lao side sincerely thanks the Chinese side for its long-term and huge support to Laos’ socialist cause, and is willing to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with the Chinese side to better promote the development of Laos’ socialist construction.

Among his other engagements in the country, Minister Liu gave a briefing to some 300 Lao cadres and also visited the museum built in honour of the founding leader of the Lao socialist state, Kaysone Phomvihane and presented a floral tribute there. The museum was built with fraternal aid from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The following reports were originally published on the website of the IDCPC.

Hun Manet, Cambodian Prime Minister, Meets with Liu Jianchao

Phnom Penh, September 3rd— Hun Manet, Cambodian Prime Minister, met here today with Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Hun Manet asked Liu to convey his sincere greetings to General Secretary Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. He said, the victory of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) in Cambodia’s 7th general election reflects the Cambodian people’s high recognition of the CPP’s governance and their expectations for the new government. Political parties are the source of the country’s formulation of domestic and foreign policies. The new government will continue to firmly adhere to the CPP’s friendly policies towards China and make the relationship between Cambodia and China even better. I will choose China as my first official outbound visit after taking office as Prime Minister. The Cambodian side is willing to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, promote the construction of the “diamond hexagon” cooperation framework, effectively promote the construction of the “Industrial Development Corridor” and the “Fish and Rice Corridor”, and promote the construction of a Cambodia-China community of shared future in the new era. As the head of the CPP’s Youth Wing, I will support the good use of the Youth House for Cambodia-China Friendship, and efforts to strengthen friendly exchanges between the youth of the two Parties. Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong affairs are all China’s internal affairs. The Cambodian side will continue to firmly adhere to the One-China principle, firmly supports and actively participates in the Belt and Road Initiative and the three major global initiatives proposed by the Chinese side, and is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the Chinese side in international and regional affairs to jointly maintain regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.

US steps up effort to drive a wedge between Vietnam and China

In this article, which was originally carried in People’s World, Amiad Horowitz takes up a recent off-handed comment by US President Joe Biden, that he intends to travel to Vietnam shortly, noting that CNN described it as another attempt to “counter China’s influence.” Amiad further identified this as “part of the US’ new Cold War aimed at China and other socialist and progressive states, [with] leaders in Washington [hoping] to drive a wedge between China and Vietnam.”

Amiad notes that Washington has now been pursuing this policy for years, but with little success. Going along with this, he explains, “would go against the established tenets and guidelines of Vietnam’s foreign policy.”

The US has remained undeterred, but as “the Biden administration amps up the tensions in Asia, the Chinese and Vietnamese governments have chosen to pursue a path of cooperation and peace.”

To illustrate his argument, Amiad refers to high-level diplomatic meetings between the two socialist countries on August 9 and 10 as well as to other recent encounters:

“In fact, as the two largest socialist countries, their relationship takes on a special significance, a relationship of ‘brothers plus comrades’, as a joint statement put it in November last year.”

Immediately following the original publication of this article, on August 16, China’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Kunming the provincial capital of Yunnan, with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang.

Wang Yi told his visitor that, as neighbouring countries sharing the same ideology, “the two sides should prepare for the next stage of high-level exchanges.” They should also, Wang added, jointly uphold the ideals and beliefs of the communist party and the cause of socialism.

Tran was attending the Seventh China-South Asia Expo, along with other senior leaders from countries in the region, including Laos, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

Amiad Horowitz studied at the Academy of Journalism and Communications at Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. He lives in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi.

Last Tuesday, in an offhanded remark, President Joe Biden mentioned that he intends to travel to Vietnam “shortly” as part of an effort “to change our relationship” with the country. While no official plan, agenda, or timeline was given, CNN was quick to report that the Biden administration continues to hope it will be able bring Vietnam into the campaign to “counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.”

As part of the U.S.’ new Cold War aimed at China and other socialist and progressive states, leaders in Washington hope to drive a wedge between China and Vietnam. The two socialist states share a border, and it appears U.S. imperialism is determined to integrate Vietnam into its strategy of encircling China from all sides.

While the United States has pursued this wedge policy toward Vietnam for years, it hasn’t met with much success so far. Any explicitly anti-China agreement with the U.S. would go against the established tenets and guidelines of Vietnam’s foreign policy, which include peaceful coexistence with all states, avoiding entanglement in any military alliances, and never using the threat of violence against another country.

Washington remains undeterred in its effort to draw Vietnam in, however. As the Biden administration amps up the tensions in Asia, the Chinese and Vietnamese governments have chosen to pursue a path of cooperation and peace.

China, Vietnam to uphold and develop socialist democracy

Relations between the socialist neighbors of China and Vietnam have continued to move forward on a warm and comradely basis since Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, became the first foreign leader to visit Beijing following the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last October.

On March 28, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang held a telephone conversation with his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son, marking the 15th anniversary of the conclusion of a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between the two countries.

Calling China and Vietnam comrades and brothers, Qin said the Chinese side appreciates Vietnam for giving top priority to its relations with China in its foreign policy. China also views and develops its relations with Vietnam from a strategic and long-term perspective, he noted.

The Vietnamese Foreign Minister said that his country has always supported China’s development and growth, appreciated China’s positive contributions to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity, and firmly believed that China will realize the Second Centenary Goal as scheduled and build a great modern socialist country with Chinese characteristics, adding that Vietnam is willing to work with China to promote the “comradely and brotherly” traditional friendship between the two countries.

The previous day, Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, who was recently elected Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee at its annual meeting, had a video call with the Chairman of Vietnam’s National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue.

Zhao said that China and Vietnam are friendly socialist neighbors, adding that China is ready to work with Vietnam to consolidate the traditional friendship, adhere to high-level strategic guidance, strengthen strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, cement public support for the friendship between the two countries, commit to the path of socialism suited to their respective national conditions, and build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that bears strategic significance.

China’s whole-process people’s democracy is a new form of political civilization created by the people under the leadership of the CPC, Zhao said, adding that China is willing to work with Vietnam to uphold and develop socialist democracy, and to showcase the advantages and bright prospects of the socialist system.

Vuong Dinh Hue, who is also a Political Bureau member of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee, said that Vietnam regards developing relations with China as a strategic choice and the top priority of its foreign policy and firmly adheres to the One-China policy.

The following articles were originally carried by the Xinhua News Agency.

Chinese, Vietnamese FMs vow to promote bilateral ties to new level

Xinhua, 28 March 2023

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on Tuesday vowed to take the 15th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between their countries as an opportunity to lift bilateral ties to a new level.

In their phone talk, they also pledged to strengthen strategic communication, consolidate mutual political trust, and enhance exchanges at all levels and in various fields.

Calling China and Vietnam comrades and brothers, Qin said the Chinese side appreciates Vietnam for giving top priority to its relations with China in its foreign policy, and for being among the first to send a warm and friendly congratulatory message to the new Chinese leaders.

China also views and develops its relations with Vietnam from a strategic and long-term perspective, Qin noted, adding that the Chinese side stands ready to work with Vietnam to well implement the strategic consensus reached by top leaders of the two parties, strengthen the top-level design of practical cooperation, and deepen the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam’s “Two Corridors and One Economic Circle” plan.

China forges bonds of friendship as it builds a modern socialist country

Co-editor of Friends of Socialist China Danny Haiphong places the historic meeting between Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), and Chinese President and CPC general secretary Xi Jinping in the context of the US’s ongoing trajectory of decline. He argues that while China is forging deep bonds of solidarity with socialist countries, the US is committing errors that will only strengthen China’s model of cooperation as a global alternative for oppressed nations.

This article originally appeared in CGTN.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) concluded its 20th National Congress in late October, marking a landmark period for China’s development. CPC delegates reviewed achievements, voted for top leadership and deliberated on China’s path forward to becoming a modern socialist country by 2050.

Among the most heralded of China’s achievements over the past five years since the 19th CPC National Congress has been the eradication of extreme poverty and the successful management of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the world’s largest economy, the United States, the overall picture is far less hopeful. While China is making history, the U.S. appears doomed to repeat it.

Nowhere is this more definitive than in the differences between China’s and the U.S.’s approaches to foreign policy and global cooperation. The first political leader to visit China following the 20th CPC Congress was Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). Despite numerous efforts of the U.S. to mobilize Vietnam and the broader Asia Pacific against China, the visit sent a strong message of regional unity.

Nguyen Phu Trong visit signals important advance in China-Vietnam relations

Following closely on from the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China, last week saw a flurry of diplomatic activity in China, with the successive visits of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the President of Tanzania, and the Chancellor of Germany.

The visit by the Vietnamese General Secretary Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong was marked by exceptional warmth, signaling a qualitative advance in the relations between the two neighboring socialist countries. Besides being the first foreign leader to visit China after the Congress, it was Trong’s first overseas trip since his own re-election as general secretary at his party’s 13th National Congress in early 2021. At that time, he promised that his first visit would be to China, reciprocating Xi Jinping’s first overseas visit being to Hanoi after the CPC’s 19th Congress in 2017.

Leading Chinese newspaper Global Times commented: “China and Vietnam are two socialist countries and the ruling parties of the two countries have deep and long-standing relations with revolutionary tradition built in the era they fought side by side against foreign invaders and colonialists, so the bilateral ties of the two countries are always guided by the inter-party relations between the CPC and the CPV… For some time, some Western media and observers have tried to hype the disputes and competition between China and Vietnam. The US in the past few years has also tried to rope in Vietnam to join the US strategy to contain China, but Nguyen’s visit just once again proves that the West has failed to understand and interpret the ties between China and its neighbor.”

Besides paying attention to diverse areas of bilateral cooperation – with 13 cooperation documents signed by the two sides – along with regional and international issues, the visit was notable for the strong emphasis placed by both sides on the importance of their joint commitment to the defense and promotion of the cause of socialism.

At their meeting, Xi Jinping noted that the development of human progress is a long and tortuous process, while the development of socialist countries is facing a very complicated international environment and severe risks and challenges. He called on the CPC and the CPV to strive for the happiness of the people and the progress of humanity, make every effort to advance socialist modernization, and never allow anyone to interfere with their progress or any force to shake the institutional foundation of their development.

On further developing China-Vietnam relations, Xi stressed that the two sides should adhere to the direction of socialism. “For the cause of socialism and China-Vietnam relations, adhering to the correct political direction is paramount.”

Xi Jinping also awarded his Vietnamese counterpart with the Friendship Medal, China’s highest decoration for foreigners. In doing so, he hailed Trong as a staunch Marxist, and a close comrade and sincere friend of the CPC. The medal represents the friendly feelings of the CPC and the Chinese people toward Trong and the Vietnamese people, symbolizes the profound friendship between China and Vietnam as “comrades and brothers”, and embodies the ardent hope of the two parties and the two peoples for a better future together, said Xi.

Noting China and Vietnam are good neighbors and friends “connected by mountains and rivers, as close as lips and teeth,” Xi said the two countries are like-minded comrades and partners with a shared future committed to the cause of peace and progress of humanity.

On the journey of promoting socialist modernization of the two countries, the CPC is willing to work with the CPV led by Trong to inherit the traditional friendship created and carefully cultivated by Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh and other older-generation leaders of the two parties and two countries, and to jointly lead China-Vietnam relations to achieve greater development.

In a joint statement released by the two countries at the conclusion of the visit, the two sides again agreed that the traditional friendship of being both comrades and brothers, which has been built and cultivated by President Ho Chi Minh, Chairman Mao Zedong and other senior leaders, is a valuable asset of the two peoples, which should be further inherited, protected and promoted well. It further noted the importance of the consistent and creative application and development of Marxism-Leninism in promoting the cause of Party building and socialism, so as to constantly develop and make efforts for the cause of peace and progress of humanity.

The following articles were originally carried on the website of China’s State Council and by the Xinhua News Agency and the Vietnamese party newspaper Nhân Dân.

Xi holds talks with Vietnam’s communist party chief

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, held talks on Oct 31 with Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee.

The two sides agreed to consolidate the traditional friendship, strengthen strategic communication, enhance political mutual trust, and properly manage differences, so as to push the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era to a new level.

Xi warmly welcomed Trong’s official visit to China following the 20th CPC National Congress, noting that he has maintained close communication with Trong in various ways and reached many important consensuses on guiding the development of China-Vietnam relations in recent years. “These consensuses have been fully implemented and remarkable results have been achieved,” he said.

Pham Binh Minh: China and Vietnam are brotherly and friendly neighbors with the same socialist cause

Immediately following an extensive tour of South East Asian nations, which included both bilateral visits and meetings as well as participation in regional and international fora, on July 13, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 14th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation in Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, together with Pham Binh Minh, Vietnam’s Standing Deputy Prime Minister.

Citing the two countries special friendship, Wang Yi said that their two parties should “provide strong theoretical support for the development of the socialist cause of the two countries.”

Pham Binh Minh said, “China and Vietnam are brotherly and friendly neighbors with the same socialist cause, and also comprehensive strategic cooperative partners. Vietnam sticks to the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the path of socialism, and pursues an independent, all-round and diversified foreign policy. Relations with China are the top priority of Vietnam’s foreign policy, and it’s Vietnam’s strategic choice to develop friendly relations with China.”

The next day, Wang Yi held the Sixth Meeting of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee via video link, together with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong. Wang noted that next year will see the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia, and added:

“China and Cambodia have built a community with a shared future under the guidance of high-level exchanges, strengthened solidarity and mutual assistance with the goal of safeguarding common interests, deepened mutually beneficial cooperation in a people-centered approach, and strengthened multilateral coordination and collaboration with the purpose of championing international fairness and justice, thus consolidating political mutual trust and cementing the foundation for strategic cooperation. Facts have proved that the building of a China-Cambodia community with a shared future serves the fundamental and long-term interests of the two peoples, meets the trend of the times, and conforms to the big picture of peace and stability in the region, thus representing a completely right direction.”

The following reports were first carried on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The 14th Meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation Is Held

On July 13, 2022, the 14th Meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation was held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The meeting was co-chaired by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vietnamese Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, and attended by officials in charge of relevant ministries, commissions, and local governments from both sides in an online and offline format.

Wang Yi said, General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong have maintained strategic communication to steer bilateral relations. All departments of both sides have made joint efforts to continuously push for new progress in practical cooperation. This year, both China and Vietnam have important domestic political agendas. It’s important to strengthen coordination in a holistic approach, and make joint efforts in the direction of building a strategic community with a shared future. Facing the risks and challenges on the way forward and the arduous tasks of reform and development, we should inherit and carry forward the special friendship, consolidate solidarity and mutual trust, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to serve respective national construction and development, and make greater contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Luna Oi showcases Hanoi’s new metro

In the following video, Vietnamese blogger and broadcaster Luna Oi, who spoke at our Summit for Socialist Democracy in December, showcases Hanoi’s new metro system, which opened to the public in January this year. Luna shows how efficient and convenient the metro is, and notes that, since it is subsidized by the Vietnamese government, it is also very affordable. The Hanoi metro is a good example of China-Vietnam cooperation: built by China Railway Sixth Group, its operation is 100 percent in the hands of the Vietnamese metro company.