Beijing (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on April 15, as part of his state visit to China.
At the meeting, Premier Li congratulated General Secretary Lam on his recent election as State President, and expressed his appreciation for the Vietnamese leader’s first state visit to China in his capacity as the country’s top leader.
The visit reflects the high regard and top priority that the Party and State of Vietnam attach to relations with China, he said, expressing confidence that it would inject strong momentum into the development of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries and the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
Highlighting the outcomes of talks and important common perceptions reached between General Secretary and President Lam and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the Premier affirmed that China consistently pursues a policy of friendship with Vietnam and considers Vietnam a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy.
The Chinese Party and Government consistently support the CPV Central Committee, led by General Secretary and President Lam, to successfully achieve the goals set by the 14th National Party Congress and realise the vision of turning Vietnam into a developed, high-income country by 2045, he said.
General Secretary and President Lam expressed his sincere thanks to the Party, State, Government and people of China for their warm, respectful and fraternal reception. He reaffirmed that Vietnam consistently regards the development of neighbourliness, friendship, and comprehensive strategic cooperation with China as an objective requirement and a top strategic choice in its foreign policy.
He stressed that Vietnam wishes and is determined to work with China to comprehensively advance bilateral ties to a new high, with substantive, mutually beneficial cooperation across sectors serving as a key foundation and driving force for stable, healthy and sustainable relations between the two Parties and nations in the new period.
In a friendly, open and trusting atmosphere, the two leaders reviewed the positive outcomes of bilateral cooperation, noting satisfaction with the strong development of relations between the two Parties and countries, particularly in economy, trade, investment, tourism, and railway connectivity, which have seen robust growth and new breakthroughs and created an unprecedentedly vibrant landscape of exchange and cooperation between sectors, levels, and localities of the two countries.
Both sides agreed that the two Parties and countries share broad common interests, while their economies are highly complementary and hold significant untapped potential. They pledged to strengthen solidarity, enhance comprehensive cooperation and mutual support, and further promote political and economic trust, effectively building a Vietnam–China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, and bringing the bilateral relations into a new phase of development based on the “six major orientations”.
General Secretary and President Lam suggested elevating economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation; promoting more balanced and sustainable trade; and fostering sustainable economic linkages, creating breakthroughs in strategic infrastructure connectivity, with top priority given to railway cooperation and expanded links to Central Asia and Europe.
He also called on China to provide loans, human resources training and technology transfer to help Vietnam master the operation, maintenance and repair of electrified railways, and called for the expansion of smart border gates and cross-border economic cooperation zones.
The Vietnamese leader proposed that China facilitate Vietnam’s participation in the "Big Market for All: Export to China" initiative, further open its market to qualified Vietnamese agro-fishery and livestock products, increase electricity imports, and boost high-quality investment and cooperation in science and technology, education, finance, agriculture, environment and technological transfer in advanced sectors such as artificial intelligence, free trade zones, smart cities, smart manufacturing; addressing environmental pollution in major cities; and accelerating the implementation of projects funded by China.
Premier Li expressed his agreement with the proposals by the Vietnamese leader, emphasising that China values substantive and mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnam. He proposed that both sides prioritise cooperation in strategic infrastructure connectivity, especially in technology, human resource training, and capital mobilisation in the railway sector; and effectively implement standard-gauge railway projects connecting the two countries, promoting multimodal logistics connectivity.
China is ready to work with Vietnam to promote bilateral trade in a more balanced manner, will import more high-quality Vietnamese agricultural products, support Vietnam's participation in the "Big Market for All: Export to China" initiative, and work with the country in building cross-border economic cooperation zones, he said.
The leader affirmed that China encourages the expansion of bilateral investment and the construction of safe and stable supply and production chains in the region; and supports more and more capable Chinese enterprises expanding high-quality investments in Vietnam.
He suggested that both sides jointly research and promote new advanced areas of cooperation, focusing on science and technology, digital transformation, innovation, and artificial intelligence as new highlights.
The two sides should maintain vibrant people-to-people exchanges, he said, adding China is ready to work with Vietnam to implement specific programmes and plans for the 2026-2027 tourism cooperation year; and to strengthen cooperation in education and training, especially in high-quality human resources.
The leader expressed his wish to meet Prime Minister Le Minh Hung in person soon, to build a good working relationship between the two Prime Ministers, and to coordinate efforts to promote cooperation in various fields to achieve tangible results.
The two sides consented to enhance multilateral coordination, better manage differences, and maintain peace and stability at sea, consolidating a favourable environment for each country’s development.
General Secretary and President Lam stressed the importance of adhering to high-level common perceptions, respecting each other’s legitimate rights and interests, resolving disputes through peaceful means and in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and handling issues related to fishing vessels and fishermen satisfactorily.
He also stressed the need to soon conclude negotiations on a substantive, effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in line with international law, including the UNCLOS 1982./.
