Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President To Lam’s state visit to China has marked a new milestone, delivering wide-ranging outcomes from strengthened political trust to expanded practical cooperation, contributing to ushering the bilateral relations between the two countries into a higher stage of development, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei has said.
Addressing a press briefing in Hanoi on April 21, the ambassador said To Lam’s first visit to China after Vietnam consolidated its top leadership yielded significant outcomes, reinforcing political trust, deepening cooperation, and injecting fresh momentum into regional peace and stability.
According to He, the timing of the visit, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping’s trip to Vietnam, underscores continuity and consistency in relations between the two Parties and the two countries. He described the top Vietnamese leader's visit as a vivid demonstration of the country's high regard for its relationship with China in its foreign policy.
The Chinese diplomat highlighted three key achievements. First, political trust was further strengthened through in-depth high-level talks, setting strategic directions for bilateral ties in the new period. A joint statement issued by the two sides reaffirmed the goal of building a “Vietnam–China community with a shared future at a higher level,” reflecting the deepening trajectory of ties between the two nations.
In addition, practical cooperation was vigorously advanced with the signing of more than 30 cooperation documents across areas such as the economy, justice, public security and supply chains. The high-level Vietnamese delegation carried out an intensive working programme across multiple localities in China, thus strengthening links between ministries, sectors and local authorities of the two nations, while translating common perceptions into concrete cooperative projects.
Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei speaks at the press briefing in Hanoi on April 21. (Photo: VNA)
Regarding multilateral diplomacy, the two sides reaffirmed shared positions in multilateral diplomacy, maintaining peace, cooperation and development; opposing unilateralism and trade protectionism; and backing global initiatives to address common challenges, demonstrating their responsibility for regional and global stability, the diplomat stressed.
Ambassador He noted several “firsts” during the visit, including the first-ever trip by a foreign head of state to the Xiong'an New Area and a more than 10-hour high-speed rail journey covering 2,500 km across Chinese localities. These activities, he said, offered Vietnam deeper insight into China’s infrastructure development and modernisation.
Reviewing recent trends, the ambassador said the bilateral relations have “accelerated comprehensively” since Xi’s visit to Vietnam. High-level exchanges have become more frequent and flexible, while economic cooperation has achieved notable results, with two-way trade reaching record highs. People-to-people exchanges have also flourished, strengthening the social foundation of ties.
In 2025, two-way trade neared 300 billion USD, up 13.7% year-on-year. China has remained Vietnam’s largest trading partner for many years, while Vietnam is China’s biggest partner in ASEAN and its fourth-largest globally. China is also the second-largest foreign investor in Vietnam.
Cooperation is increasingly shifting toward emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, green energy, and digital economy. At the same time, the two sides are advancing infrastructure connectivity, particularly cross-border railway projects, to improve transport efficiency and strengthen regional supply chain connectivity.
For rail cooperation, the diplomat said projects in northern Vietnam are progressing steadily, notably the Lao Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong line. Enhanced rail connectivity is expected to boost trade and elevate Vietnam’s position in regional and global logistics networks.
People-to-people exchanges have also made strong progress, he said, noting that the Year of Humanistic Exchange 2025 was a success, fostering mutual understanding and closer ties between the two countries’ people. Building on that, the two countries have launched the “Vietnam – China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026” to further substantive partnership, he went on.
Amid global uncertainties, the ambassador stressed the importance of maintaining stable and close Vietnam – China relations for peace and development. He called for continued efforts to strengthen political trust, expand practical cooperation, and coordinate closely in multilateral forums.
With a solid foundation and clear strategic direction, He expressed confidence that Vietnam – China relations will continue to grow robustly, delivering tangible benefits to their people and contributing positively to stability and development in the region and the world./.
