Chinese Ambassador to Việt Nam Xiong Bo VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Chinese Ambassador to Việt Nam Xiong Bo has highlighted the positive development trend with numerous outcomes of the Việt Nam-China relationship in recent years and the measures to boost bilateral cooperation in various fields, in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the threshold of the Year of the Dragon.

The Việt Nam-China ties have gone through a 74-year development journey since the two countries officially established diplomatic relations. What are the highlights in the relations between the two countries? How do you evaluate the prospect of bilateral relations, especially after the state visit to Việt Nam by Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping?

The most notable highlight in the China-Việt Nam relationship in recent times was the state visit to Việt Nam by Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping at the invitation of General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng. This marks the most significant event in the relations between the two Parties and countries. With mutual efforts from the two sides, the visit was a success. The most crucial political outcome was the joint declaration by the top leaders of both Parties on building a Việt Nam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, helping determine a new position in China-Việt Nam relations and opening up a new chapter in the China - Việt Nam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. It can be said that this event is a historical turning point in the relationship between the two Parties and two countries, undoubtedly having a deep impact on the development of the China-Việt Nam relationship from now on.

Regarding the building of a Việt Nam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, the two sides concurred that its core significance lies in their joint commitment to bringing happiness to the two peoples, and development for both countries and progress for the whole mankind. The community reflects not only the elevation of the bilateral relations but also the noble international spirit of both Parties. China and Việt Nam should intensify cooperation and contribute their efforts to addressing common challenges facing the international community.

For the development of bilateral relations, the visit set the development goal with the six targets of stronger political trust, more substantial defence-security cooperation, deeper tangible collaboration, firmer social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, and better management and settlement of differences.

The targets have comprehensive connotations, clearly defining the development direction for the China-Việt Nam relations in all aspects. I believe that after this visit, the China-Việt Nam relations will undoubtedly enter a new development phase, with substantive cooperation between the two countries in various fields being improved, upgraded, and further strengthened.

Over the past few months, trade activities between Việt Nam and China have been vibrant and favourable with the reopening and upgrade of several border gates. What should both countries do in the coming time to make the development of the Việt Nam – China economic, trade, and investment relations to continue developing robustly and sustainably?

We are delighted to see that, after the pandemic prevention efforts entered a new phase, China and Việt Nam have fully resumed their regular economic and trade cooperation. Many border gates between the two countries have been resumed operation and upgraded. Some border gates were upgraded into international ones, facilitating the travel between the nations. The economic, trade, and investment cooperation between China and Việt Nam has entered a new stage with a more vibrant development trend.

According to China’s latest statistics, the China-Việt Nam trade turnover in 2023 reached nearly US$230 billion ($229.8 billion). Việt Nam's exports to China amounted to $92.18 billion, marking a 4.8 per cent increase. China is one of the few export markets of Việt Nam that maintains positive growth, proving the importance of the Chinese market as well as that of the China-Việt Nam cooperative relations.

China is a market with immense potential. Việt Nam's agricultural exports to China maintain considerable growth, especially fruits and vegetables. The export revenue of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables to China has seen rapid growth, notably in the export of durians. Việt Nam earned over $2 billion from exporting durians to China in 2023, surpassing the set target of $1 billion. China’s investment in Việt Nam in the year surged by 77.6 per cent to $4.47 billion. This indicates a significant interest from Chinese companies in the Vietnamese market and its development potential.

I believe that this trend will continue in the coming time. For instance, recently, I noticed several Chinese companies operating in the solar energy industry have plans to increase their investments in Việt Nam. Some businesses have entered the second phase and are planning to build the third. All these indicate promising prospects for economic, trade, and investment cooperation between China and Việt Nam. I am confident that substantial collaboration between the two countries will further develop.

Chinese Ambassador to Việt Nam Xiong Bo (right) in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the threshold of the Year of the Dragon. — VNA/VNS Photo

In the time to come, we need to sustain this momentum. Firstly, it is necessary to continue and intensify the policy exchanges, with the high-level strategic exchange between leaders of the two countries being the most important. In 2024, the two nations will continue high-level visits in both the channel of the China – Việt Nam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation and within the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the “Two corridors, One belt” framework.

The two sides have signed a connectivity plan, and will push for its implementation this year.

The two countries are focusing on promoting the comprehensive connection of road, sea, and air networks, and internet connection. In particular, the two sides attach great importance to the acceleration of the railway infrastructure connection and bring into full play the geographical advantages of land and sea contiguity of China and Việt Nam.

China will actively support Việt Namin speeding up the construction of the Lào Cai – Hà Nội – Hải Phòng standard-gauge railway and conducting feasibility studies, and assist Việt Nam in planning the Đồng Đăng - Hà Nội and Móng Cái - Hạ Long - Hải Phòng railway lines. For the construction of other railway lines in Việt Nam, China is also willing to actively cooperate and provide support in line with Việt Nam's demands.

China actively supports Việt Nam in accelerating its industrialisation and modernisation, and in realising development goals set by the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV); encourages Chinese enterprises with strength, expertise, and capability which are interested in investing into Vietnam, especially in digital economy, green development, energy transition, information and communication, agricultural development, and mineral exploitation cooperation.

Furthermore, we are ready to strengthen cooperation with Việt Nam in the field of new energy vehicle (NEV), and assist Việt Nam in releasing its net-zero emissions goal by 2050.

Recently, a young artist from Việt Nam participated in a television game show in China, garnering positive attention, and a well-known Vietnamese coffee brand has also increased its presence in China. These activities, to some extent, have help contribute to promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. Could you please say more about specific measures to increase people-to-people exchange activities and youth exchanges between the two nations?

Mutual understanding and cultural exchanges between the two peoples form an indispensable foundation for the development of China-Việt Nam relations.

To realise this objective, first of all we need to further strengthen objective and genuine mutual understanding. To do so, we need to enhance direct people-to-people exchanges and encourage more Chinese tourists to visit Việt Nam and vice versa, and increase the number of Vietnamese young people studying and living in China.

In the past, the two Parties and peoples stood side by side, supporting each other throughout the years of war, as well as in the struggles for national independence and liberation. This “both comrades and brothers” friendship tradition needs to be carried forward by the younger generations of both nations.

Under the leadership of the two Parties, Việt Nam and China are building socialism suitable to each country's conditions, advancing the building of a distinctive path to modernisation of each country. China has achieved remarkable successes, capturing global attention and becoming the world's second-largest economy. Vietnam has also attained significant accomplishments too, maintaining stable and rapid economic development. It is crucial for the people of both countries to understand this, and this is also part of the mutual understanding.

Thirdly, to strengthen people-to-people connectivity. Culture, art, cinematographic products, music, and tourism, etc., also serve as effective channels to further intensify mutual understanding.

With the joint efforts of 12 countries, including Việt Nam and China, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly for the first time passed a resolution officially designating the Lunar New Year as an annual UN holiday. How do you evaluate the event?

The Lunar New Year is a common traditional festival for the people of China and Việt Nam. Besides China and Việt Nam, the festival is also a significant occasion for many countries around the world, representing an important factor of the oriental culture. The United Nations General Assembly’s recognition is a matter of course, and I am pleased about it.

On this occasion, through the Vietnam News Agency, I would like to extend my best New Year greetings to the Vietnamese people. I wish that Việt Nam, under the resolute leadership of the CPV Central Committee led by General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, will gain new achievements in realising the goals set forth by the 13th National Congress of the CPV, and in continuing to push up the socio-economic development across every sector. I wish Việt Nam peace, prosperity, well-being and happiness. — VNA/VNS