Beijing (VNA) – Journalist Weiwei, a researcher on Vietnam and head of the Vietnamese Language Department at the China Central Radio and Television, has praised Vietnam's economic and diplomatic achievements in 2024.
Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondent in Beijing, he also said that in 2025, Vietnam's economy will continue its growth trend and make even more remarkable achievements.
The Chinese journalist said that although Vietnam has not announced its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth this year yet, Vietnamese Prime Minister said at the National Assembly's recent meeting that Vietnam's GDP is expected to exceed 6.8% in 2024 and reach 7% in 2025. This forecast makes Vietnam's economic figures stand out significantly in the global recovery process since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regarding trade, in the first nine months of this year, Vietnam's import-export turnover increased by 16.3% compared to the same period last year, with exports up by 15.4% and imports by 17.3%, resulting in a trade surplus of nearly 20.8 billion USD.
Notably, economic and trade cooperation between China and Vietnam has maintained strong growth. In the first eight months of 2024, their bilateral trade turnover reached 130.78 billion USD, with Vietnam's imports from China amounting to 92.5 billion USD, a 34.25% increase compared to the same period last year.
According to the common conception reached between the two countries' leaders, the project to construct a smart border gate between China and Vietnam is being comprehensively promoted, which, upon completion, will enhance the "smart index" of the crossing's capacity and accelerate bilateral trade investment. Additionally, cooperation in mechanical equipment, electronic products, and other areas has also been tightened.
In the tourism sector, in the first half of 2024, the number of international visitors to Vietnam increased by 58.4% compared to the same period last year. This impressive figure includes 357,000 Chinese tourists in May alone, making China the largest source of inbound tourists to Vietnam.
Foreign direct investment is also a significant highlight. According to statistics, in the first nine months of this year, Vietnam attracted 17.3 billion USD in foreign investment, an increase of 8.9% compared to the same period last year, marking the highest level in many years. China ranks first in terms of new investment projects in Vietnam, reflecting the strong interest of Chinese businesses in the Vietnamese market. These projects have created a large number of jobs in industrial zones in provinces like Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, and Binh Duong.
Evaluating Vietnam's diplomatic achievements, the Chinese researcher noted that in 2024, Vietnam's diplomatic efforts have also achieved significant milestones, increasing its international influence. Notably, high-ranking leaders of China and Vietnam have established a new historical positioning for build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance and opens a new chapter in the development of relations between the two Parties and countries in the new era, promoting practical cooperation in various fields. In 2024, high-level leaders of both countries have maintained close exchanges through diverse and flexible forms. After taking office, Party General Secretary To Lam chose China as the destination for his first overseas visit, demonstrating the Vietnamese leader's emphasis on the bilateral relations.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, then Permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Luong Cuong, and many other Vietnamese state leaders, visited China. Various agencies of both countries, including Party, government, military, National Assembly agencies have engaged in visits and close exchanges, providing essential support for building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance./.
