Beijing, Hanoi reach key consensuses

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, is greeted by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, on Tuesday. [WANG ZHUANGFEI/CHINA DAILY]

Xi hails 'old friend and good friend' Trong as both sides agree to elevate their ties

Beijing and Hanoi highlighted on Tuesday their shared commitment to building a bilateral community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, as the two sides reached key consensuses to elevate their ties during President Xi Jinping's state visit to Vietnam.

The commitment was made by Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, during their talks in Hanoi.

Trong held a grand welcoming ceremony, including a 21-gun salute and a guard of honor, for Xi, who is making his first visit to Vietnam in six years on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The two leaders jointly viewed an exhibition of cooperation documents signed between the two nations, covering over 30 sectors including the joint building of the Belt and Road, cooperation in border inspection and quarantine, the digital economy, transportation, defense and security cooperation, and maritime cooperation.

During their talks at the seat of the CPV Central Committee, Xi called Trong "my old friend and good friend", saying that China firmly supports Vietnam in continuing to advance the cause of socialist construction.

China has always viewed China-Vietnam relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, regarding Vietnam as a priority direction for neighborhood diplomacy, he said.

Xi expressed his belief that with the joint efforts of both sides, ties between Beijing and Hanoi will enter a new stage, characterized by higher political mutual trust, more concrete security cooperation, deeper win-win cooperation, more solid popular foundations, closer multilateral coordination and better management of differences.

The socialist construction of China and Vietnam will steadily move forward, making new contributions to the stability, development and prosperity of the region and even the world, he added.

Xi put forward proposals in six aspects on building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

He said the two sides should maintain the right orientation in politics, adhere to high-level strategic guidance, strengthen the exchange of experience over party and state governance and firmly support each other on issues related to respective core interests and major concerns.

In terms of security, Xi called for stronger mutual trust, saying that safeguarding national political security should be prioritized to ensure that the socialist system remains unchanged for both nations.

He stressed the need to make every effort to prevent and resolve various political security risks, saying that Beijing firmly supports Hanoi in maintaining social stability and national unity. China believes that Vietnam will continue to support China in opposing external interference and firmly advancing the cause of national reunification, he added.

The president made an appeal for an upgrade in the quality of bilateral pragmatic cooperation, pledging to share the opportunities from China's modernization and seek joint development with Vietnam.

China will continue to encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in Vietnam, and the nation hopes that Vietnam will provide a favorable business climate for Chinese enterprises, he said.

He called for greater investment in a range of fields, including agriculture, education and healthcare, as well as sectors such as youth tourism and at local levels.

Xi urged closer collaboration between Beijing and Hanoi on international and regional issues, saying that both nations should attribute their remarkable development not only to the results of their own efforts, but also to an open and inclusive world, especially a peaceful and stable environment in the Asia-Pacific region.

China does not form exclusive small circles or engage in group politics or bloc confrontation, he said, adding that Beijing is willing to strengthen multilateral cooperation with Hanoi, uphold true multilateralism, and increase the voice and influence of developing countries in international affairs.

As for maritime issues, the Chinese president stressed the need to properly manage differences, adding that both sides should actively explore and implement more maritime cooperation projects, strive to promote joint maritime development, and transform challenges arising from maritime issues into opportunities for deepening cooperation.

Trong noted during the talks that Xi is an outstanding world leader who enjoys widespread support among the Chinese people, as well as a comrade and friend respected and admired by the Vietnamese people.

He stressed that Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China principle, recognizes Taiwan as an inseparable part of China, supports the cause of Chinese reunification, and resolutely opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" activities.

He underscored his nation's adherence to an independent and autonomous foreign policy, saying that the development of relations with Beijing is Hanoi's top priority and strategic choice.

Trong underscored his nation's readiness to work with China to comprehensively strengthen cooperation in politics, the economy and trade, security, and people-to-people exchanges, and create a model of mutually beneficial cooperation.

He added that maritime differences are only part of bilateral relations, and the two sides are capable of handling them properly in the spirit of mutual trust and respect.

He also pledged support for the China-proposed Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.

The two leaders also shared a tea break together, during which they stressed the need to carry forward the traditional friendship forged by the older generation of leaders of the two nations, strive to build a bilateral community with a shared future, embark on their respective paths of modernization and achieve mutually beneficial cooperation.

Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, attended a banquet on Tuesday evening that was jointly hosted by Trong and his wife, as well as Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and his wife.