BEIJING – The Chinese Government will work closely with its Vietnamese counterpart to fully realise their common aspirations and agreements for the practical benefit of both peoples and the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said yesterday.

In a meeting with visiting Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng in Beijing, the Premier of the State Council also congratulated the Vietnamese Party, State and people on their significant achievements in the cause of national building and development.
The Chinese government attaches great importance to developing relations with Việt Nam on the principles of mutual respect, equality, and win-win cooperation, he said.
The Premier expressed his belief that the ongoing visit to China by the Vietnamese Party leader will contribute to promoting the comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership between the two countries in all fields.
Party General Secretary Trọng congratulated the Chinese Party, government and people on the strong development strides they’ve taken and wished them success in implementing the 13^th Five-Year Plan, achieving the goals of building a prosperous and inclusive society, and developing China into a strong, well-off, democratic, civilized and harmonious socialist country.

Both leaders expressed happiness at the healthy and stable development of relations between the two countries’ relations at present, including positive progress in bilateral co-operation in economy, trade, investment, tourism and other fields.
They also stressed the need to enhance win-win collaboration for common development and reinforcement of mutual trust and friendship between the two peoples.
They agreed to strengthen development strategy links, and to actively study and promote co-operation projects within the framework of the “Two Corridors, One Economic Belt” and “One Belt, One Road” initiatives.

The understanding reached between Việt Nam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and China’s National Development and Reform Commission on a list of projects to increase production capacity would be implemented effectively, they said.

The two sides will also hold discussions towards the early signing of a master plan on building cross-border economic cooperation regions based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit in line with each country’s regulations.

Party leader Trọng and Premier Li shared the view that the role of Việt Nam-China trade co-operation mechanisms should be further promoted and relevant agreements reached by the two countries implemented effectively.

The bilateral trade imbalance should be improved, while legal procedures should be completed quickly to open the Chinese market for Vietnamese farm produce, forestry and aquatic products, they said.

They also agreed to facilitate the establishment of Việt Nam’s trade promotion offices in China, starting with the eastern province of Zhejiang.
The two sides pledged to create more favourable conditions for businesses to forge investment collaboration, and to quickly address difficulties and obstacles so that firms on both sides can ensure the quality, progress and efficiency of joint projects.
Localities from either country will be encouraged to promote friendly exchanges and co-operation, they said.
The two sides will also step up collaboration in agriculture, aviation, environment, science-technology, transport, tourism, healthcare, testing and quarantine. They will step up co-ordination in the management and the effective and sustainable use of water resources of the Mekong-Lancang River.
The role of joint working groups on infrastructure and financial-monetary co-operation will be promoted towards effective use of China’s credit and non-refundable aid packages for Việt Nam.
The two leaders concurred on fostering ASEAN connectivity and the central role of the bloc in the region, as well as on enhancing co-operative ties between China and ASEAN in the coming time for peace, stability and prosperity.

Party leader Trọng said Việt Nam welcomes Chinese projects that apply modern and environmentally friendly technologies, particularly in agriculture, hi-tech industry, machinery manufacturing, support industry, renewable and clean energy, technology transfer, and high-quality human resources training.

Parliamentary co-operation

In a meeting with Chairman of the National People’s Congress of China (NPCC) Standing Committee Zhang Dejiang, Trọng said the co-operation between the parliaments of both countries was as an important channel for enhancing mutual understanding and political trust.

Promoting the healthy and stable development of the countries’ friendship and comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership is in line with the basic and long-term interests of the two peoples, and it will also foster regional and global peace, stability and development, he said. 

The Vietnamese leader asked the NPCC and the Vietnamese National Assembly to step up exchange of experiences in legislation and supervision, and facilitate faster implementation of agreements reached by the countries’ senior leaders. 

The two parliaments should also increase co-ordination and mutual support at regional and global inter-parliamentary forums, and work closely to ensure the execution of international treaties that both countries have signed, he said.

Zhang congratulated Việt Nam on its socio-economic development outcomes last year and wished it more successes in the future. 

He stressed that the Chinese Party, Government and NPCC treasure and want to continually strengthen their comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership with Việt Nam. 

They want both sides to control and handle existing disagreements in a determined manner and not let these affect the overall sound relationship between the two Parties and nations, he said. 

Senior officials hail visit

Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) highlighted the significance of General Secretary Trọng’s visit to China in a meeting with the Vietnamese leader in Beijing yesterday. 

He said the visit is important as it took place on the threshold of the 67th anniversary of the countries’ diplomatic ties and the traditional Lunar New Year. 

General Secretary Trọng informed Yu about the important common perceptions reached in talks with Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping. 

He emphasised that the common perceptions and the resolve shared by leaders of the two Parties and countries need to be thoroughly understood by people, sectors and institutions at all levels in both countries. They need to be realised through concrete and consistent action so as to promote the sound development of the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. 

He also spoke highly of the recent contributions by the CPPCC and the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) to the countries’ overall relations, and hoped that they will press on with practical and effective co-operation, helping intensify mutual understanding and people-to-people friendship. 

Yu said that the CPPCC will join the VFF in strengthening ties between their nations, increasing people-to-people exchanges, and boosting mutual understanding between Vietnamese and Chinese younger generations. He said this would consolidate the social foundation of bilateral relations and serve the basic, long-term interests of both two peoples. 

Tightening security ties

In related news, Việt Nam and China agreed to foster co-operation on security and order, making it an important pillar of their bilateral comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership.

The agreement was reached in talks held in Beijing yesterday between Vietnamese Minister of Public Security, Senior Lieutenant General Tô Lâm and Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee’s Political and Legal Affairs Commission Meng Jianzhu as well as Minister of Public Security and Interpol President Meng Hongwai.

The officials noted that the two sides have maintained contact channels to share information in the fight against terrorism while actively co-ordinating with each other to combat crime, especially those related to high technology, drugs, human trafficking, counterfeit money and hunting wanted criminals. – VNS