On October 14, 2024, Xinhua News Agency reports from Hanoi, a joint statement between the People’s Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was released following the official visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Vietnam from October 12 to 14, 2024, at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
During his visit, Premier Li met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President Nguyen Phu Trong, held discussions with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and met with National Assembly Chairwoman Vuong Dinh Hue. In a friendly and candid atmosphere, both sides exchanged in-depth views on advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Vietnam, promoting the construction of a significant Sino-Vietnamese community, and addressing international and regional issues of mutual concern, ultimately reaching broad consensus.
Both parties reflected on the historical development of the China-Vietnam relationship, agreeing that the two countries and their peoples have maintained a supportive partnership throughout their struggles for national independence and liberation, exemplifying the traditional friendship described as “deep ties between Vietnam and China, comrades and brothers.” During the period of reform and opening up, both sides emphasized the importance of adhering to their unique socialist paths, enhancing experience sharing, and fostering mutually beneficial cooperation, yielding tangible benefits for both nations’ populations.
The two sides underscored the necessity of inheriting and promoting their traditional friendship, remaining mindful of their original intentions and shared missions. They reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the leadership of their respective Communist Parties, pursue socialism suited to their national circumstances, and strategically understand the evolution of Sino-Vietnamese relations to further deepen and enhance their comprehensive strategic partnership, collectively building a significant Sino-Vietnamese community and elevating bilateral ties to new heights.
Vietnam congratulated China on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China and praised the successful convening of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which has advanced over 300 key reform initiatives aimed at modernizing the nation. Vietnam expressed confidence that under the strong leadership of the Central Committee led by Xi Jinping, the Chinese government and people would successfully realize the goal of building a modern socialist country and achieve the second centenary goal.
China commended Vietnam for the achievements realized over nearly 40 years of reform and in implementing the “Program for Transition to National Construction in the Socialism Orientation” over the past 15 years. Additionally, China celebrated Vietnam’s successful 13th National Congress and expressed hope that under the correct leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, goals set forth during the Congress will be achieved, including the smooth organization of the upcoming 14th National Congress and realizing the vision of transforming Vietnam into a high-income developed socialist-oriented nation by 2045.
China reiterated its view of Vietnam as a priority in its foreign diplomatic strategy, while Vietnam emphasized its relationship with China as a top priority in its independent and diversified foreign policy. Both parties agreed that their respective national developments offer opportunities for each other and act as positive factors for regional and global growth.
The two sides agreed to comprehensively implement the important consensus reached by their highest leaders and the joint statement made, adhering to the principles of “long-term stability, future-oriented cooperation, neighborly friendship, and comprehensive partnership,” and the spirit of being “good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, and good partners.” They outlined six strategic goals, focusing on enhancing political mutual trust, practical security cooperation, deeper pragmatic cooperation, solidifying public opinion foundations, improved multilateral coordination, and better management of differences to achieve more practical results in constructing the strategic Sino-Vietnamese community and positively contribute to regional and global peace and development.
Moreover, both parties committed to maintaining high-level strategic communication, especially between their highest leaders, to jointly guide the development of Sino-Vietnamese relations. The governments will strengthen departmental and local implementation of high-level consensus, advancing cooperation across various sectors. The discussions emphasized leveraging party-to-party channels for enhanced communication, strengthening training cooperation, and sharing theories and experiences in governance and modernization processes. They also agreed to implement agreements signed between China’s National People’s Congress and the Vietnamese National Assembly to facilitate upcoming discussions and cooperation in various projects for community benefit.
The Vietnamese side reaffirmed its commitment to the One China policy, recognizing that there is only one China and Taiwan is an inseparable part of its territory. Vietnam supports peaceful development of cross-strait relations and opposes any forms of “Taiwan independence” activities. Vietnam considers issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet as internal matters of China and believes in stability and prosperity under the guidance of the Chinese government.
The two nations acknowledged that defense and security cooperation is a key pillar in their relationship and agreed to strengthen collaboration in these areas. This includes enhancing military exchanges at various levels and fostering cooperation in border defense dialogues, political exchanges, UN peacekeeping, and joint patrols in the Gulf of Tonkin.
The parties recognized the significance of aligning their development strategies, accelerating the construction of infrastructure projects under the “Belt and Road” initiative, and enhancing connectivity across various sectors. They expressed commitment to fostering a collaborative environment for investment, especially in high-tech agriculture, infrastructure, and clean energy sectors, aiming to create a fair and convenient business landscape for mutual enterprises.
Both sides reiterated their commitment to promoting agricultural cooperation, sharing meteorological data for disaster prevention, and strengthening scientific cooperation in various fields. They stated the necessity of enhancing friendly exchanges and cultural cooperation, especially among youth, and agreed to jointly celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and promote tourism and educational exchanges.
Finally, both sides emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation, aligning with the principles of mutual respect, non-interference, and peaceful dispute resolution, particularly concerning maritime issues in the South China Sea. They agreed on the need for effective communication and mechanisms to manage differences and pursue peaceful solutions based on international law.
The comprehensive outcomes of Premier Li’s visit were deemed satisfactory and instrumental in building the Sino-Vietnamese community, with both leaders expressing appreciation for the warm hospitality received during the visit and extending invitations for future exchanges.