Both sides expressed their delight at and spoke highly of the progress in Vietnam-China relationship in recent years, especially since the historical China visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong from October 30 to November 1 last year.

PM Chinh conveyed greetings from Party leader Trong, State President Vo Van Thuong, and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Zhao Leji, and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Wang Huning.

Premier Li also conveyed regards of the Chinese high-ranking leaders and others to their Vietnamese counterparts. 

Underscoring the importance of the Vietnam-China relations in the overall foreign policy of each country, PM Chinh affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State attach great importance to and consider the development of a friendly, stable and healthy cooperative relationship with China a strategic choice and top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy.

In reply, Li asserted that China always considers its relationship with Vietnam a priority in the overall framework of its neighbourhood policy.

China backs Vietnam’s efforts to build and successfully develop its socialist-oriented market economy that suits the country's situation, and stays ready to keep expanding and deepening bilateral substantial cooperation, he said, speaking highly of Vietnam's active and effective participation in and its important contributions to the CAEXPO and CABIS.

Both sides agreed to continue effectively realising the common perceptions reached by their Party leaders to further enhance and deepen bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, as well as the agreements and results achieved during PM Chinh's official visit to China in June this year and other high-level visits.

Accordingly, they will facilitate all-level visits; reinforce substantial cooperation in economy, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges; maintain their coordination in multilateral mechanisms and forums; manage land borders effectively; and properly control differences while jointly maintaining peace and stability at sea.

The Vietnamese leader highlighted the need for both sides to leverage geographical advantages and complement each other to nurture substantive cooperation in balanced and sustainable development areas.

He proposed that China accelerate the market opening for Vietnam's agricultural and aquatic products, create favourable conditions for the early establishment of Vietnam's trade promotion offices in Chengdu (Sichuan) and Haikou (Hainan), and jointly improve customs efficiency to prevent goods congestion at border crossings.
           
Vietnam is ready to create favourable conditions for Chinese firms to do business in the country, especially in large-scale, high-quality and modern technology projects that represent China's level of development, bringing about economic and social benefits, he said.

In his view, the two countries need to strengthen transportation and border infrastructure connectivity, study joint work in planning and building several railway lines in northern Vietnam, and improve cargo transportation capacity bilaterally and through third countries.

The Vietnamese PM suggested joint efforts to promote tourism cooperation, resolve any lingering issues in several projects in the spirit of harmonising interests and sharing risks, and accelerate the implementation of non-refundable aids from China to Vietnam.

The Chinese Premier affirmed that China will continue opening its market for Vietnamese goods, especially quality agricultural and aquatic products, expand the scale and improve the efficiency of trade by upgrading border infrastructure, policy connectivity, and the building of smart border crossings. Efforts will be made to promote transactions using the Chinese yuan for trade between the two nations.

He said he has directed relevant Chinese ministries to actively engage with Vietnam to step up specific cooperation areas and jointly build stable supply and production chains.

Proposing increased people-to-people exchanges and public awareness of bilateral traditional friendship, especially among the young generations, he said the Chinese Government will encourage its citizens to travel to Vietnam, support the opening of new air routes between the two countries, and hasten the implementation of humanitarian, healthcare, and education assistance projects in Vietnam.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of managing differences properly, and maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea.

PM Chinh suggested that both sides continue strictly follow the high-level common perceptions and the agreement on the basic principles guiding the settlement of the maritime issues between Vietnam and China. He called for respect to each other's legitimate rights and interests, settling disputes and differences through peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They also promised to work closely together at global and regional forums.

On the occasion, Li extended his profound condolences to the families of the victims in a tragic fire in Hanoi on September 12.

PM meets leaders of Chinese conglomerates

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with leaders of several Chinese conglomerates in Nanning city, China’s Guangxi province, on September on the occasion of his attendance at the 20th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) there.

Receiving Chairman of the Executive Board of China Railway Chen Yun, PM Chinh praised the company’s global reach and sustainability with 381 branches in 105 countries.

Chen said the company is now the main contractor of several urban railway projects in Hanoi and wind power projects in Dak Nong province, and a tire manufacturing plant in Tien Giang. He expressed interest in engaging in the construction of transportation projects in Vietnam, such as the North-South and the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong express railways, and the Hanoi urban metro line.

To develop infrastructure, PM Chinh said Vietnam is stepping up public-private partnership, striving to have 5,000km of highways, complete the first stage of the Long Thanh international airport and 1,700km of coastal roads from Quang Ninh to Ca Mau by 2030.

According to him, Vietnam plans to build railway lines such as the Lao Cai – Hanoi - Hai Phong with a total length of roughly 388km and a cost of 11 billion USD, the Vung Ang – Laos with the section in Vietnam stretching 103km and costing 1.6 billion USD, and the Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City with around 1,545km and a combined investment of some 62 billion USD.

The Vietnamese leader welcomed the Chinese enterprises and the China Railway in particular to expand their operation in Vietnam in the spirit of harmonising interests and sharing risks.

He suggested the China Railway continue working with relevant Vietnamese ministries and localities to develop new projects in Vietnam, including the Lao Cai – Hanoi- Hai Phong express railway linking with the Kunming-Hanoi-Hai Phong economic corridor.

In a reception for Wang Xiaojun, Deputy General Manager of Power China which ranked 100th on the Fortune Global 500 list and 29th among the top 500 Chinese enterprises in 2022, PM Chinh hailed the company’s plan to expand operations in energy in Vietnam in the near future, especially in wind power and liquefied natural gas electricity projects.

The Vietnamese Government commits to create all possible support to Chinese firms and the Power China in particular, he said, adding that it recently approved the National Power Development Plan for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, with renewable energy sources, especially onshore and offshore wind power, being a foundation of Vietnam's long-term energy security.

He suggested that the Power China explore cooperation in Vietnam's priority areas, including infrastructure - one of Vietnam's three strategic breakthroughs. Specifically, he proposed exploring the possibility of investing in China - Quang Ninh - Hai Phong and Lang Son - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway lines, with the commitment to translating these ideas into concrete actions and achieving tangible results.

PM hosts Party Secretary of Guangxi in Nanning city

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 16 hosted Liu Ning, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Secretary of Guangxi Party Committee, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in Guangxi province's Nanning city.

Thanking Guangxi for preserving relic sites related to President Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary activities in the province, he said he hopes that Guangxi will continue playing a pioneering role in promoting substantive exchanges and cooperation between the two nations.

Recalling Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's recent tour of the border gate area in Lang Son province and planting of a "friendship" tree there, Chinh said the act manifests importance and top priority attached by the Vietnamese Party and State to the Vietnam - China relations.

Liu, for his part, affirmed that Guangxi always treasures its friendly and cooperative relations with Vietnamese localities. Following his Vietnam visit in April, he expressed satisfaction about Guangxi-Vietnam trade that exceeded 20 billion USD in the first eight months of this year.

The Vietnamese PM spoke highly of bilateral cooperation potential and outlined six breakthrough areas for cooperation with Guangxi in the coming time, namely infrastructure connectivity, economic-trade-investment cooperation promotion, expanding people-to-people and youth exchanges, close cooperation in the field of border gates, good implementation of three documents on the management of the Vietnam-China land border, and close cooperation in education and training.

Agreeing with PM Chinh’s proposals, Liu affirmed that the Party Organisation, authorities and people of Guangxi will follow common perceptions reached by leaders of the two countries and Parties, expand and deepen friendly exchanges with the Vietnamese localities as well.

He promised to work with Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities to deepen collaboration in six breakthrough directions proposed by the Vietnamese leader, with a focus on stepping up railway and road transportation connectivity, improving customs efficiency through the pilot "smart border gate" model, strengthening port cooperation, and jointly working on cross-border crime prevention, thus contributing to consolidating and deepening bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to bring practical benefits to localities and their people.

Source: VNA