Professor Xu Liping, Director of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. (Photo: VNA) In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency aheadof the visit from December 12-13, Professor Xu Liping, Director of the Centrefor Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stressedthat the bilateral relationship is at an important development period.
Recalling the visit to China by General Secretary ofthe Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong lastyear, the professor emphasised that Trong was the first foreign leader to visitChina after the 20th National Congress of the CPC, reflecting theimportance and specific characteristics of the bilateral ties.
Following the visit, the relationship has mademarked strides, he said, elaborating that mutual political trust has beenenhanced, economic-trade cooperation has kept growing, and China’s investmentin Vietnam has increased constantly.
The scholar also highlighted people-to-people andcultural exchanges, and collaboration in sports, culture and education, withthe number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam surpassing 1.3 million in the first10 months of this year.
President Ho Chi Minh and Chinese President Mao Zedong in 1960. (Photo: VNA) Xi’s visit is also making headlines in China, includingarticles published by Xinhua News Agency and Global Times.
In an article published on December 7, Xinhua saidXi’s visit will consolidate and promote the bilateral cooperation, tighten thefriendship between people of the two countries, and create momentum for therelationship.
The article also commended the traditionalfriendship, saying the two Parties and States have maintained high-levelmeetings and contacts, and the two countries are expected to further discussissues regarding national management and modernisation.
Vietnam and China have reaped achievements incooperation in economy, trade, investment and infrastructure construction, itsaid, adding that China has been Vietnam’s biggest trade partner for many consecutive years, and Vietnam is China’s largest trade partner in the Associationof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The article held that the two countries will enhancepeople-to-people exchanges to promote their friendship in the time ahead.
Global Times on December 10 also ran an article pointingto huge cooperation potential in economy and trade.
According to the article, at the 12th meeting of theVietnam-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee in November, the twosides agreed on measures to raise the quality and efficiency of collaborationin this field./.
VNA
