The forthcoming visit to China by Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong, thefirst official visit to the country made by a Vietnamese Party GeneralSecretary since the 18th national congress of the Communist Party ofChina, aims to build up momentum for the healthy development ofVietnam-China relations, particularly in the context of the twocountries’ diplomatic ties entering their 65th year (January 18,1950-2015).
Since the 1991 normalisation, theties have grown fast and profound in all aspects with frequent meetingsof high-ranking officials held and many cooperation agreements signed,enhancing mutual understanding and facilitating the long-term andresult-oriented partnership.
The sides have thusfar organised ten ideology workshops between the two parties and sevenconferences of the joint steering committee for bilateral cooperation,while the defence, security and national defence sectors have signed andimplemented many cooperative agreements. Provinces of both countrieshave worked together in many fields, and various people-to-pepoleexchanges held including 6 people’s forums and 14 youth friendshipfestivals.
During the last ten years, China hascontinually been Vietnam’s largest trade partner while Vietnam hasbecome the second biggest ASEAN trade partner of China, after Indonesia.In 2014, the two-way trade revenue reached 58.87 billion USD. A totalinvestment of 7.94 billion USD in 1,082 projects made China the ninthlargest foreign investor in Vietnam by the end of last year.
A five-year economic-trade pact (2012-2016) was inked during the 2011visit of the Vietnamese Party General Secretary. In 2013, whenChinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang made a working trip to Vietnam, thesides agreed to beef up economic-commercial engagement focusing onseveral key infrastructure and transport projects. They also set goalsto bring bilateral trade revenue to 60 billion USD in 2015 and 100billion USD in 2017.
Bilateral ties in educationand tourism are growing, with around 13,500 Vietnamese students inChina and 4,000 Chinese students in Vietnam. Some 1 million Vietnamesetravel to China every year, while 1.94 million Chinese visited Vietnamin 2014 alone.
Regarding territory and borderissues, the two countries have signed an agreement on basic principlesfor settling territory and border issues. So far, the two have signed atreaty on land border delimitation (in 1999), an agreement on thedelimitation of the Tonkin Gulf (in 2000), another on fisherycooperation in the Tonkin Gulf (in 2000), and a protocol on fisherycooperation in the Tonkin Gulf (in 2004).
Onthe East Sea issue, the two countries have signed an agreement on basicprinciples guiding the settlement of sea-related issues. The ASEAN, ofwhich Vietnam is a member, and China signed the Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) in 2002. The bloc isexpeditiously working towards an early conclusion of the Code of Conductin the East Sea (COC), with the first official consultation at SeniorOfficial Meeting level held in September 2013.
However, complicated developments in the East Sea put considerableimpacts on Vietnam-China cooperative ties in various fields and hinderedthe implementation of a number of exchange and cooperative programmesdespite certain improvements in the bilateral relationship.
The visit of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is hoped tostrengthen the friendly and stable situation, facilitating thesettlement of existing problems between the two countries.-VNA
Since the 1991 normalisation, theties have grown fast and profound in all aspects with frequent meetingsof high-ranking officials held and many cooperation agreements signed,enhancing mutual understanding and facilitating the long-term andresult-oriented partnership.
The sides have thusfar organised ten ideology workshops between the two parties and sevenconferences of the joint steering committee for bilateral cooperation,while the defence, security and national defence sectors have signed andimplemented many cooperative agreements. Provinces of both countrieshave worked together in many fields, and various people-to-pepoleexchanges held including 6 people’s forums and 14 youth friendshipfestivals.
During the last ten years, China hascontinually been Vietnam’s largest trade partner while Vietnam hasbecome the second biggest ASEAN trade partner of China, after Indonesia.In 2014, the two-way trade revenue reached 58.87 billion USD. A totalinvestment of 7.94 billion USD in 1,082 projects made China the ninthlargest foreign investor in Vietnam by the end of last year.
A five-year economic-trade pact (2012-2016) was inked during the 2011visit of the Vietnamese Party General Secretary. In 2013, whenChinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang made a working trip to Vietnam, thesides agreed to beef up economic-commercial engagement focusing onseveral key infrastructure and transport projects. They also set goalsto bring bilateral trade revenue to 60 billion USD in 2015 and 100billion USD in 2017.
Bilateral ties in educationand tourism are growing, with around 13,500 Vietnamese students inChina and 4,000 Chinese students in Vietnam. Some 1 million Vietnamesetravel to China every year, while 1.94 million Chinese visited Vietnamin 2014 alone.
Regarding territory and borderissues, the two countries have signed an agreement on basic principlesfor settling territory and border issues. So far, the two have signed atreaty on land border delimitation (in 1999), an agreement on thedelimitation of the Tonkin Gulf (in 2000), another on fisherycooperation in the Tonkin Gulf (in 2000), and a protocol on fisherycooperation in the Tonkin Gulf (in 2004).
Onthe East Sea issue, the two countries have signed an agreement on basicprinciples guiding the settlement of sea-related issues. The ASEAN, ofwhich Vietnam is a member, and China signed the Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) in 2002. The bloc isexpeditiously working towards an early conclusion of the Code of Conductin the East Sea (COC), with the first official consultation at SeniorOfficial Meeting level held in September 2013.
However, complicated developments in the East Sea put considerableimpacts on Vietnam-China cooperative ties in various fields and hinderedthe implementation of a number of exchange and cooperative programmesdespite certain improvements in the bilateral relationship.
The visit of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is hoped tostrengthen the friendly and stable situation, facilitating thesettlement of existing problems between the two countries.-VNA
