Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (centre, front) leaves Beijing on Wednesday after wrapping up official visit to China. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính's official visit to China has contributed to concretising the common perceptions of the two Party General Secretaries, especially the joint statement on continuing to promote and deepen the Việt Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership issued in December 2022, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn.

In an interview granted to the press after the PM concluded his trip on Wednesday, Sơn said the visit was a great success, and achieved many important results.

Political trust between the two countries has been strongly strengthened, creating an important foundation for promoting and deepening the Việt Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new situation, bringing benefits to the people of the two countries.

PM Chính held talks and met with four top leaders of China, including General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhao Leji, and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Wang Huning.

The leaders of the two countries emphasised the importance of enhancing political trust, properly handling and controlling differences, towards developing the Việt Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a stable, healthy, effective and long-lasting manner.

The Chinese leaders affirmed that China attaches great importance to the friendship relationship between the two Parties and the two countries, demonstrating their sincerity and goodwill in further deepening cooperation between the two sides, especially via the Party channel, and in key areas such as security and defence.

In particular, Party General Secretary and President Xi stated that developing relations with Việt Nam is China's strategic choice, and China attaches importance to developing long-term relations with Việt Nam.

The two sides reached many important common perceptions and agreed on many specific measures to promote multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, contributing to strengthening the bilateral relations in the near future, Son said.

The two sides agreed to improve the quality of economic, trade and investment cooperation, enhance transport connectivity, improve customs clearance efficiency, maintain smooth trade and ensure production and supply chains, he added.

The Chinese promised to increase the import of Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products; increase quotas for Vietnamese goods in transit by Chinese railway to third countries; and expand high-quality investment into the fields suitable to the demand of Việt Nam.

The two sides reached many important agreements on maintaining regular exchanges and meetings through the channels of the Party, Government, National Assembly, Fatherland Front, ministries, sectors and localities. They agreed to resume people-to-people exchange activities.

In addition to official activities, PM Chính attended and delivered a speech at the Việt Nam-China Business Forum, which saw the participation of a large number of Chinese enterprises. He also had meetings with representatives of Chinese companies.

Chinese enterprises all highly valued Việt Nam's investment environment and expressed their desire to expand investment in the Southeast Asian nation in the time to come.

Foreign minister Sơn also highlighted the significance of PM Chính's presence at the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC) of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Tianjin, China, saying that the Vietnamese government leader had practical, effective and open exchanges with leaders of many countries, international organisations and leading corporations in the world on the sidelines of the event.

PM Chính shared many viewpoints, approaches, and effective, practical and timely solutions of Việt Nam to promote global economic growth.

The PM’s message on the three fundamental factors for economic development has been applauded and become a highly unified orientation at the meeting.

PM Chính's attendance at the event has further contributed to promoting practical relations between Việt Nam and the WEF, Sơn said, adding that the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two sides for the 2023-26 period has created a foundation to expand the relations between the two sides in the new period.

The WEF will further promote cooperation with, and support Việt Nam in policy-making and building capacity to adapt to new development trends; assist ministries, sectors and localities in developing smart agriculture, industrial clusters towards net zero emissions, and establishing a fourth industrial revolution centre in Việt Nam.

Meetings between PM Chính and leaders of other countries on the sidelines of the event also contributed to further deepening the relations between Việt Nam and Mongolia, New Zealand, and Barbados, especially in potential areas such as economy, commerce, and tourism, Sơn noted.

Through meetings with representatives of leading corporations have helped introduce Việt Nam's achievements, potential, strengths, goals and development orientations, and offered a chance for foreign businesses to understand more about the country’s policies and investment environment, thus pouring more investment in Việt Nam.

It could be said that the PM’s participation for the first time at the WEF's summer annual conference has left a good impression on the international business community about the country's role and position as well as potential and bright prospects of the Vietnamese economy, Sơn concluded. — VNS