Chinese Ambassador to Việt Nam Xiong Bo. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — China will work together with Việt Nam to preserve the traditional friendship, deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries, protect common strategic interests and promote the bilateral relationship, Chinese Ambassador Xiong Bo has said.

In a recent interview granted to the Việt Nam News Agency, the ambassador said despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the China-Việt Nam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership continued to be promoted strongly last year.

He highlighted that Việt Nam's cause of socialism building had overcome numerous difficulties in 2021 to advance firmly forward. He noted the successful organisation of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) which elected the country's new leadership and set strategic goals towards the 100th founding anniversary of the CPV in 2030 and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam in 2045.

The ambassador said following the 13th National Party Congress, Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng wrote an important article emphasising the historic inevitability of the path towards socialism chosen by Việt Nam.

The article helps strengthen the bond between the CPV and the army and people, and sends the clear political message of Việt Nam persistently pursuing the path towards socialism in accordance with its situation, according to the diplomat.

Ambassador Xiong Bo stressed that facing complex developments of the pandemic, the Vietnamese Party and Government have followed the motto of putting people at the centre and worked to complete the dual goals of pandemic containment and socio-economic development.

Việt Nam has quickly rolled out a large-scale vaccination programme, and launched economic and social welfare packages in a timely manner, while striving to maintain macro-economic stability.

As a result, the country’s GDP last year grew 2.58 per cent, exports rose to a new record, its trade surplus had been maintained for six consecutive years and foreign investments reached about US$31 billion, reflecting the national economy’s resilience and potential, the ambassador said.

Việt Nam has persistently pursued a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations, he said, noting that the country has successfully fulfilled its non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.

He underlined Việt Nam’s vaccine diplomacy along with economic and people-to-people diplomacy in efforts to maintain a peaceful and stable environment to ensure socio-economic development, and raise its position in the international arena.

As Việt Nam's socialist neighbour, China is delighted at the achievements the Vietnamese Party and State recorded last year, and will continue to support Việt Nam in following the path towards socialism, Xiong Bo affirmed, expressing his belief that under the Party's and Government's leadership, Việt Nam will soon drive back the pandemic, ensure stable economic growth and firmly advance towards the goal of building a developed socialist country.

The ambassador went on to say that under the strategic direction of the top leaders of the two Parties, the Việt Nam-China relationship had maintained its development pace last year, with great progress made in major fields of cooperation. He noted that during their phone talks, Chinese Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng outlined orientations to consolidate and deepen the bilateral ties in the new period.

Leaders of the two Parties and countries have maintained online exchanges and visits, he said, adding that the two sides held in-depth discussions on the materialisation of common perceptions reached by the top leaders of the two Parties, along with measures to promote mutually beneficial cooperation across spheres and protect shared strategic interests.

According to the ambassador, Việt Nam and China have also supported each other in major political agendas and the two Parties have stepped up the exchange of experience in Party building and national construction. Both sides have expressed their resolve to continue on the path towards socialism.

He highlighted that during the COVID-19 combat, China has stood side by side with Việt Nam and provided 5.2 million doses of vaccines for the neighbour in the forms of donation and trading. The health sectors of the two countries shared experience in pandemic fighting and set up coordination mechanisms for disease prevention in border areas.  

For economic and trade ties, the ambassador cited statistics from the Chinese side showing that two-way trade surpassed US$230 billion last year, up 19 per cent. China is Việt Nam’s biggest trade partner and second-biggest importer. Meanwhile, Việt Nam is China’s sixth largest trade partner.

Việt Nam’s statistics also reveal that China is the country’s third biggest investor, he continued, adding that the Cát Linh-Hà Đông urban railway in Hà Nội built with preferential loans from the Chinese Government has been officially put into operation.

Vietnamese and Chinese ministries and localities have closely coordinated to tackle obstacles in customs clearance at border gates for traded goods.

The ambassador noted that the two countries have enhanced coordination in multilateral issues, and actively worked to promote a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and ASEAN as well as to ensure the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement takes effect as scheduled, benefiting economic recovery in the region.

He stressed that 2022 is a year of great importance to both countries and to their relations. Việt Nam will continue implementing the resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, firmly marching towards the 100th founding anniversary of the CPV in 2030 and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam in 2045.

China will also hold the 20th Party Congress, towards successfully and comprehensively building a modern socialist power, he noted.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed a Global Development Initiative, with a focus on its connectivity with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, covering poverty reduction, epidemic prevention and control, green development and connectivity, matching the situation in developing countries, the diplomat said.

China is maintaining its good economic growth pace, he continued, adding that the country’s GDP grew 8.1 per cent last year, fulfilling the dual goals of high growth and low inflation.

China stands ready to help Việt Nam in economic recovery and development post-COVID-19, and work together with Việt Nam to utilise advantages in road and sea connectivity, perfect mutually beneficial cooperation frameworks, ensure the stable and smooth operation of production and supply chains, and promote development in each nation, for the sake of the two countries’ people, he affirmed. — VNS