Joining hands to create a new era of friendly relations between Vietnam and China

The Vietnamese Party, government, and people warmly welcome this visit and firmly believe that it will achieve complete success, making important and enormous contributions to vigorously promoting traditional friendship and ushering in a new era of development in Vietnam China relations.

（1） Vietnam China Relations: A History of Deep Friendship and Achievements of Comprehensive Cooperation

Vietnam and China are close neighbors connected by mountains and rivers. The two peoples have many similarities in culture and customs, and jointly cultivate a long traditional friendship that has gone through a thousand years of history.

At the beginning of the revolutionary process, despite facing numerous difficulties, the older generation leaders of the two parties and countries, especially Chairman Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong, carefully cultivated the relationship of "deep friendship between Vietnam and China, comrades plus brothers". During his revolutionary activities in China, President Ho Chi Minh has always received sincere friendship and enthusiastic help from the people and people of the CPC. Under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese Communists also actively participated in China's revolutionary movement. The history of the older generation of revolutionaries from both countries fighting side by side and sharing joys and sorrows has become a shining example of the world proletarian revolutionary struggle movement, laying a solid foundation for the future friendly relations between Vietnam and China.

On the basis of mutual trust between the two parties, on January 18, 1950, the newly established People's Republic of China became the first country in the world to officially establish diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam). Vietnam was also the first Southeast Asian country to establish formal diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. This is a monument of historical glory, ushering in a new era of friendly relations between Vietnam and China. Under the brilliant guidance of the two Communists, the people of the two countries gave each other sincere help and support, and made contributions to the victory of the national liberation revolution and their respective socialist orientation construction and development.

For 75 years, peace, friendship, cooperation and development have always been the mainstream of relations between the two countries, because the two parties and two countries share an unchanging consensus: the stability, sustainability and long-term development of Vietnam China relations are the fundamental and long-term interests of the two peoples, are the ardent aspirations of the two peoples for peace and friendship since ancient times, are of great significance to their respective revolutionary undertakings, and conform to the general trend of stability, cooperation, prosperity and development of the times.

Guided by the diplomatic line of independence, peace, friendly cooperation, diversification and multilateralism, the Vietnamese party and country have always adhered to and committed to developing a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation with the Chinese party and country, building a community of common destiny with strategic significance between Vietnam and China, always taking it as the top priority, and working for the happiness of the two peoples and the cause of peace and progress of all mankind. The Vietnamese people will never forget the great and effective help given by the Chinese people at all stages of history. Vietnam has always regarded China's prosperity and development as its own opportunity, and China regards the development of its relations with Vietnam as a priority direction in its neighboring diplomacy and a strategic choice for both countries. We are pleased and highly appreciate this.

Based on this important consensus, in recent years, Vietnam China relations have continuously reached new heights, and many important and comprehensive achievements have been made in various areas of cooperation. The high-level leaders of the two parties and countries maintain regular strategic communication in flexible and diverse forms, making important decisions in a timely and practical manner to guide and shape the increasingly pragmatic and effective Vietnam China relations. Especially during the historic visit of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping to Vietnam in December 2023, the two countries unanimously agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a strategically significant Vietnam China community with a shared future.

At the same time, the diversified communication and cooperation mechanisms between the two countries in various channels and fields, as well as the cooperation from the central to local levels, multilateral occasions, and international mechanisms, have achieved increasingly practical and significant results, further enriching and deepening the connotation of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

Economic and trade relations continue to flourish, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. Over the past thirty years, bilateral trade volume has increased by more than 6400 times, with a new peak of $200 billion set in 2024. Vietnam maintains China's position as the largest trading partner in ASEAN and has risen to become China's fourth largest trading partner globally; China is Vietnam's largest trading partner. At present, China has become the third largest source of foreign investment in Vietnam, ranking first in the number of new investment projects.

The two countries have made encouraging achievements in people to people exchanges, culture, education, tourism and other fields, becoming increasingly active and becoming a new highlight in consolidating the public opinion foundation of Vietnam China relations.  

Both sides have properly resolved many historical legacy issues and agreed to adhere to the peaceful and active handling of differences based on mutual understanding and respect, in accordance with international law.

For the all-round development of the relations between the two parties and the two countries, the most important experience lies in the sincerity, mutual trust and mutual understanding between the socialist neighbors under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the Communist Party of China. It originates from the tradition of benevolence and loyalty of the people of the two countries, the wisdom, determination and action of the leaders of the two parties and the two countries, as well as the joint efforts of the political systems and people of the two countries. The Vietnamese Party, state, and people cherish and highly appreciate the profound friendship, sincere efforts, and outstanding contributions that Comrade Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of the People's Republic of China, has devoted to Vietnam China relations over the years.

（2） Vision of the new development era: work hard for the happiness of the two peoples and the cause of human peace and progress

The world is facing fundamental and epochal changes, with profound changes occurring in various aspects due to significant changes in politics, economy, culture, society, and technology. From now until 2030 and even 2045, as well as 2050 in the mid-21st century, it is a crucial moment for the revolutionary cause of the two parties and two countries, and the most important stage in shaping the new world order. It brings enormous opportunities to all countries, but also comes with many challenges.

For Vietnam, this is an important strategic opportunity period, a sprint stage for opening a new era of national development, and a period for realizing President Ho Chi Minh's last wish of "building a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam, and making due contributions to the world revolutionary cause". For China, this is a crucial period for achieving the second centenary goal and building the People's Republic of China into a prosperous, democratic, civilized, harmonious, and beautiful modern socialist country.

This background requires both countries to have an international perspective and national actions, in order to maximize strategic opportunities, turn challenges into opportunities, and create a prosperous future for both countries. We have sufficient foundation and confidence to achieve our long-term development goals. Now is a good time for the two parties and two countries to jointly define the vision of a new era of development for Vietnam China relations, and work together to seek the happiness of the two peoples and advance the cause of peace and progress of mankind. Specifically, as follows:

Firstly, maintain strategic communication and enhance political mutual trust. This is the most important issue and a prerequisite for the successful implementation of the cooperation plan and agreement between the two parties, providing political guarantees for the healthy and targeted development of the relationship between the two parties and countries. Both sides should continue to effectively implement the high-level communication mechanism, closely integrate inter party diplomacy, national diplomacy, and people's diplomacy, and enhance the effectiveness of diplomacy, national defense, security, as well as cooperation at all levels, industries, and localities.

Secondly, strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various fields and create new growth poles. Vietnam has always been willing to work with China to promote the increasingly pragmatic, in-depth, balanced and sustainable development of bilateral cooperation, become a model of sincere and effective cooperation between socialist neighbors and developing countries, and increasingly better meet the interests of the two peoples. Both sides will jointly innovate and explore new forms of cooperation that are suitable for their respective countries' economic and social development strategies, concentrate on implementing landmark large-scale cooperation projects, and prioritize the promotion of the three standard gauge railways connecting the two countries as the top priority for strategic infrastructure interconnection cooperation; Expanding cooperation areas where China has advantages and Vietnam has needs, such as technology, innovation, digital transformation, and high-quality talent cultivation, has become a new highlight of bilateral cooperation and conforms to the common trend of international development.

Thirdly, further consolidate the solid social foundation of Vietnam China relations. In a phone call earlier this year, I announced the launch of the "Vietnam China Cultural Exchange Year" in 2025 with Comrade Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of China. Both sides should take this as an opportunity to promote people to people exchanges and publicize the friendly relations between the two parties and countries; Promote substantive development of cultural, tourism, and educational cooperation; Give play to the role of "red resources" of the two countries' revolution, and enhance the pride and confidence of the two peoples in the socialist road chosen by the two parties and the two peoples and the traditional friendship between Vietnam and China. Among them, the mainstream media of the two countries should play an important role in enhancing the feelings and understanding of the two peoples and promoting friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Fourth, jointly create a peaceful and stable environment for the development of the new era and for each other's development in the new era. The two countries continue to promote the healthy development of Vietnam China relations, working together to properly manage and resolve differences in accordance with high-level consensus, international law, and the United Nations Charter. This is an important stabilizing factor in the current complex and changing international and regional situation, in line with the two nations' aspirations for peace, friendly cooperation, and comprehensive strategic partnership. It promotes the construction of a strategically significant Vietnam China community of shared future, achieves rapid and sustainable development of the country, successfully builds their own socialism, and steadily enters a new era of development.

During his visit to Vietnam in December 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping and President Xi Jinping made a profound summary: "Both China and Vietnam are responsible members of the international community and should become the backbone of promoting human progress." Based on the 75 year tradition of friendship, similar cultures, and the close connection between the two peoples in peace and development interests, our two parties, two countries, and two nations firmly believe and are determined to promote the glorious and great cause, further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership, promote the construction of the Vietnam China community of shared future with strategic significance, achieve rapid and sustainable development of the country, successfully build our respective socialism, and steadily enter a new era of development.

The success of the cause of friendship between our two parties and two countries will not only bring benefits to the two peoples and best serve the interests of the two peoples, but also make increasingly practical and responsible contributions to peace, stability, social progress, prosperity and development of all peoples in the region and the world.

(The author is the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam)