Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (Photo: VNA)
Beijing (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son highlighted the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China in his article published on the People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on October 30.
The article was released on the occasion of the ongoing official visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong.
In the article, Son emphasised that the neighbouring countries boast the time-honoured friendship, saying since the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic ties more than 72 years ago, the friendship and cooperation have remained a mainstream.
With a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism and diversification of relations, the Vietnamese Party, State and people attach great importance to developing the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation with their Chinese counterparts, the minister affirmed.
The reality shows that the consolidation and enhancement of the friendship and cooperation matches fundamental and long-term interests of the two Parties, countries and peoples, and is conducive to peace, stability, cooperation and development throughout the region and the world.
Thanks to joint efforts, the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership has made progress across spheres, Son continued, saying that leaders of the two Parties and countries have maintained their regular contacts through flexible forms, and decided important orientations for the bilateral ties.
Vietnam has remained the biggest trade partner of China in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and China has been Vietnam’s largest trade partner for many years. China’s direct investment in Vietnam has grown through years.
It is not easy to gain such good results, especially in the context of the regional and global supply and production chains impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister noted.
He described the mutual support during the pandemic combat as a bright spot in the bilateral ties, saying that right after the pandemic broke out, Vietnam was one of the first countries to provide medical equipment for China. In return, China was among the countries that supplied the most vaccines to Vietnam when the pandemic hit the Southeast Asian country.
The two sides have maintained the exchanges of ideas in negotiation mechanisms on border, and seriously and fully implemented high-level agreements and common perceptions, and satisfactorily settled emerging issues in a timely manner.
They have closely coordinated in managing the shared border line and border markers, expanding and upgrading border gates, fighting diseases, removing difficulties in goods circulation, and promoting development cooperation in the border area.
For the sea issue, they have also maintained regular exchanges of ideas at all levels and channels. The working group on the marine issue has maintained consultations regularly and flexibly.
The article also commends coordination and cooperation between Vietnam and China in regional and international mechanisms, especially within ASEAN. Vietnam is willing to support and promote ASEAN-China relations. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations, ASEAN and China officially announced the establishment of comprehensive strategic partnership in late 2021.
Vietnam and China have also coordinated closely together at the United Nations, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation.
Vietnam welcomes China’s initiatives for the sake of peace, stability and prosperity in the region, Son said, adding that Vietnam stands ready to work together with China and other countries to step up exchanges of ideas and sketch out substantive cooperation programmes within the Global Development Initiative, contributing to fulfilling the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
At the end of this article, Son expressed his belief that the Vietnam-China relationship will constantly receive new push and be advanced to a new height, for the sake of the Vietnamese and Chinese people, and for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world./.
