State President Võ Văn Thưởng arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Tuesday, starting his China visit to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

BEIJING — State President Võ Văn Thưởng and a high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Tuesday, starting a trip to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping.

At the airport, the President and the delegation were welcomed by Chinese Minister of Housing and Urban - Rural Construction Ni Hong, Chinese Ambassador to Việt Nam Xiong Bo, Envoy at the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing Ninh Thành Công, along with representatives of the Vietnamese embassy in China.

This is the first visit to China and also the first multilateral diplomatic activity of President Thưởng as the State leader of Việt Nam.

During the third BRF, President Thưởng is scheduled to attend the forum’s opening ceremony chaired by Chinese leader Xi, a high-level session on the digital economy as a new driver for growth, and the welcoming banquet for leaders of delegations also hosted by the Chinese President.

President Thưởng is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of some countries and international organisations on the sidelines of the forum, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lao President and Party leader Thonglun Sisoulith, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, United Nations leader Antonio Guterres, among others.

He will also have meetings with top leaders of China, including President Xi and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Zhao Leji, as well as receive executives of some leading Chinese businesses in the fields of technology and telecommunications.

State President Võ Văn Thưởng greets representatives of Vietnamese embassy and community in China at the airport. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Amid many complex and unpredictable developments in the international situation and strong changes in the world’s economy, President Thưởng and the Vietnamese delegation’s attendance at the third BRF is considered a practical activity helping implement the country’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, and proactive, comprehensive, flexible and effective integration into the world.

It is also meant to send out a message about Việt Nam being a friend, trustworthy partner, and active and responsible member of the international community contributing to regional and global peace, stability, development, and cooperation. — VNS