Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and the high-level Vietnamese delegation departs from Nội Bài International Airport on Tuesday morning for the 8th Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Summit in China. — Photo from Việt Nam Government Portal

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his entourage left Hà Nội on November 5 for the 8th Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Summit in China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

His trip to China from November 5-8 also includes attendance at the 10th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit, the 11th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Việt Nam (CLMV) Cooperation Summit, and working sessions.

The PM is accompanied by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Minh Hoan, Minister of Science and Technology Huỳnh Thành Đạt, Government Inspector General Đoàn Hồng Phong, Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Hầu A Lềnh, Secretary of the Lai Châu provincial Party Committee Giàng Páo Mỷ, Secretary of the Điện Biên provincial Party Committee Trần Quốc Cường, Secretary of the Cao Bằng provincial Party Committee Trần Hồng Minh, General Director of the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) Đỗ Tiến Sỹ, Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoàng Xuân Chiến, Deputy Minister of Public Security Lieut. Gen. Lê Văn Tuyên, Deputy Chairman of the Government Office Nguyễn Sỹ Hiệp, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Phạm Sao Mai, and Vietnamese Consul General in China’s Kunming Hoàng Minh Sơn.

These are the first in-person high-level activities of the GMS, ACMECS and CLMV mechanisms since 2018. Việt Nam views these cooperation platforms as strategic avenues to connect with top partners and enhance international support for the Mekong sub-region's development.

Việt Nam's active and proactive participation in these mechanisms reflects its commitment to contributing to the common interests of the region, improving sub-regional cooperation effectiveness, and effectively pooling external resources for national development.

This working trip comes at a time when Việt Nam-China fine neighbourliness is flourishing, characterised by the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. The highlight is high-level visits between the two countries' leaders in recent times.

Economic cooperation, trade and investment between Việt Nam and China have seen substantial strides, with two-way trade reaching US$171.9 billion in 2023. China remains Việt Nam's largest trade partner and second largest export market. Meanwhile, Việt Nam is China's largest trade partner in ASEAN and its fifth largest globally.

The trip underscores Việt Nam's message of valuing and contributing to the promotion of the GMS, ACMECS and CLMV mechanisms, as well as overall Mekong sub-regional cooperation, creating a breakthough in a new phase of development. At the same time, it aims to continue strengthening and boosting friendly neighbourliness and the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and the Việt Nam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. — VNA/VNS