BEIJING — The ongoing visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyễn Phú Trọng is of great importance, contributing to the sustainable and profound development of the comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership between the two countries, a Chinese researcher has said.

In an interview with Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Beijing, Ling Dequan, a researcher at the Xinhua News Agency’s Centre for World Affairs Studies, said Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng is the most high-ranking foreign leader that the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese State has welcomed in 2017.

China is also the first country that the CPV leader has visited this year, Ling said, adding that this shows that leaders of the two Parties and States have attached importance to strengthening and enhancing the Việt Nam-China neighbourliness and friendship.

The visit is taking place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 67th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations and the Vietnamese and Chinese people are preparing for the Lunar New Year – their biggest holiday in the year, he noted.

Ling, who is member of the China-Vietnam Friendship Association and former head of the Xinhua News Agency Bureau in Việt Nam, described the Vietnamese Party leader’s visit, which is made at the invitation of General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President Xi Jinping, as a “Spring-welcoming trip” in which the word “Spring” also symbolises better prospects for the Việt Nam-China relationship.

He stressed that, thanks to the efforts of both sides, Việt Nam-China relations have developed well in the recent past, while their traditional friendship has been reinforced and their co-operative ties have reaped positive results in many fields.

In 2016, Việt Nam and China continued maintaining the exchange of regular visits by high-level Party and State leaders and increasing mutual political trust. The co-operation and exchanges at all levels and in various spheres such as politics, economy and culture, were promoted, bringing practical benefits to the two nations’ people, he said.

While evaluating the potential and prospects for Việt Nam-China relations, Ling said the two Parties and States are facing new issues and challenges due to complicated developments in the region and the world.

In that context, the two countries need to co-ordinate together, maintain high-level visits, promote strategic connectivity, foster mutually beneficial co-operation and increase cultural exchanges, with a view to elevating the comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership to a new height, he suggested.

As the two economies are closely connected, the researcher said China wants to enhance co-operation with Việt Nam in infrastructure development, investment and trade within the strategic framework of “One Belt, One Road” and “Two Corridors and One Economic Belt”, he said.

According to the researcher, the APEC Year 2017 is an important diplomatic event, offering a good opportunity for the host country of Việt Nam to review its accomplishments after 30 years of “Đổi Mới” (renewal), as well as its influence and position in the global arena.

As an important member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Forum and a friendly neighbour of Việt Nam, China will support and co-ordinate with Việt Nam to successfully organise the event. — VNS