Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính meets Chinese Ambassador to Việt Nam He Wei in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính gave a reception in Hà Nội on Sunday for Chinese Ambassador to Việt Nam He Wei ahead of the Lunar New Year (Tết) – the Year of the Horse.

The PM asked the ambassador to convey his warm regards and New Year greetings to General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and President of China Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee Wang Huning, and other senior Chinese leaders.

PM Chính briefed Ambassador He on the important outcomes of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV), particularly its strong resolve, new highlights, major goals, strategic orientations, and breakthrough solutions aimed at turning Việt Nam into a socialist-oriented developed country. 

The PM expressed his sincere appreciation to the CPC Central Committee for promptly sending a congratulatory message to the Congress. He noted that both sides dispatched special envoys to congratulate and inform the success of the 14th National Congress.

The Vietnamese leader reaffirmed Việt Nam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations. He emphasised that strengthening and developing relations with China remains Việt Nam’s consistent policy, an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority. Việt Nam stands ready to work with China to further consolidate the political, material, and social foundations of the Việt Nam – China relationship.

The Ambassador thanked the PM for the reception and for his important views on directions and tasks to promote bilateral relations in the coming period. He conveyed New Year greetings from senior Chinese leaders to PM Chính and the leaders of Việt Nam. The diplomat expressed his congratulations to Việt Nam on the successful organisation of the 14th National Congress and on the country’s major development achievements in recent years, especially during the 13th Congress term. He said he believes that under the leadership of the Party Central Committee headed by General Secretary Tô Lâm, Việt Nam will successfully fulfil the goals and tasks set forth by the 14th National Congress and achieve the “two centenary goals” marking the founding of the Party and the State.

Both host and guest reviewed the very positive developments in Việt Nam – China relations last year, and discussed measures to effectively implement the common perceptions reached by the top leaders of the two Parties and countries, with a view to elevating bilateral ties to a new height in the coming period.

Chinese Ambassador to Việt Nam He Wei speaks at the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

PM Chính highly appreciated the efforts and positive contributions of Ambassador He and the Chinese Embassy to the progress of bilateral relations. Both sides agreed that the relations in recent years have recorded positive developments in line with the “six major orientations,” featuring closer high-level strategic exchanges, and enhanced political trust. In addition, increasingly comprehensive and diversified cooperation mechanisms reflect a high level of confidence; substantive cooperation has achieved new qualitative breakthroughs, with bilateral trade turnover reaching a record high last year and accelerated implementation of three standard-gauge railway lines connecting the two countries; a strong recovery in tourism, with China once again becoming Việt Nam’s largest source market; and vibrant local cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Highlighting the special significance of the highly successful phone talks between Party General Secretary Lâm and Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi shortly after the success of the 14th National Congress of the CPV, he proposed that from the beginning of this year and the new Congress term, both sides should thoroughly implement the common perceptions reached by the two Party leaders and promptly roll out measures to maintain the positive momentum of bilateral relations.

He called for further strengthening mutual understanding and political trust through effective exchanges, contacts and high-level visits; better utilising cooperation mechanisms; encouraging ministries, sectors and localities to expand exchanges and cooperation; robustly implementing the defence–security cooperation pillar; and consolidating and enhancing efficiency of intergovernmental working mechanisms in key areas.

Regarding substantive cooperation, the PM proposed promoting more balanced and sustainable bilateral trade, with China creating maximum facilitation in licensing Vietnamese agricultural, aquatic and livestock products that meet standards, and supporting Vietnamese goods transiting through China for export to other markets; enhancing cooperation on electricity imports; promoting smart border gates and cross-border economic collaboration in border localities; and upgrading science and technology ties in conjunction with human resources training, technology transfer and experience sharing in advanced and emerging fields.

He also called for stronger partnerships and substantive breakthroughs in local-level cooperation, particularly between border localities, as well as in culture, education, tourism and healthcare, while intensifying communications on Việt Nam – China friendship to consolidate a solid social foundation for bilateral ties.

PM Chính further suggested both sides continue to effectively manage the land border and seriously implement high-level common perception on controlling and better handling differences at sea, on the basis of respecting each other’s lawful and legitimate rights and interests and resolving differences through peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Appreciating the determination and resolute efforts of the Vietnamese Government and PM Chính personally in implementing and concretising high-level common perceptions between the two Parties and countries in recent years, Ambassador He affirmed that the Party and State of China consistently attach great importance to and prioritise the development of relations with Việt Nam. China stands ready to work with Vietnam to strengthen high-level strategic exchanges, share experience and theoretical perspectives on Party building and national governance, and elevate cooperation in key and regular fields such as diplomacy, defence and public security, thereby further consolidating political trust.

China is willing to intensify bilateral cooperation in more substantive and effective ways, leverage the respective strengths of both sides, and enhance connectivity, particularly in economic and trade cooperation, supply and production chains, high-quality investment, and balanced and sustainable financial and monetary development.

He stressed the importance of accelerating railway cooperation and strategic transport connectivity; expanding ties in new areas such as high technology, the digital economy and the green economy; adhering to high-level common understandings; jointly managing and better addressing differences; and creating a peaceful, stable and favourable environment for the development of each country.

At the meeting, representatives of Việt Nam’s border localities exchanged views on key areas of cooperation between the two sides. The Chinese diplomat affirmed that China attaches importance to and stands ready to closely coordinate with Việt Nam’s ministries, sectors and localities in addressing outstanding issues and promoting the continued advancement of bilateral cooperation. — VNA/VNS