General Secretary To Lam with General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping. Photo: DANG KHOA

Taking place over two days (April 14 and 15), this is the fourth visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President Xi Jinping as the highest leader of the Party and State of China; the second visit during the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China and the 13th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The visit comes just over a year after the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President Xi Jinping (December 2023) and less than a year after the State visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam (August 2024). This is also the first foreign trip by General Secretary and President Xi Jinping in 2025.

The visit took place during the Vietnam-China Humanitarian Exchange Year to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (1950-2025) and on the occasion of Vietnam celebrating many important events: the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the 80th anniversary of the founding of the country and the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day.

Conducted in that special context, the visit fully demonstrates the high regard that the Party and State of Vietnam and China attach to the Vietnam-China relationship and the deep friendship between the two Parties, two States and peoples.

Higher strategic trust, deeper cooperation

During the talks and meetings, the leaders of the two countries positively assessed the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries. After the two sides announced the establishment of the Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future with strategic significance, there have been remarkable developments in the direction of "6 more": High-level and all-level strategic exchanges have taken place closely; substantive cooperation in various fields has progressed, in which economic and trade cooperation has grown positively; the friendship foundation has been more firmly consolidated, with many bright spots in tourism, education, cultural cooperation, local exchanges, etc. The two sides have cooperated well in multilateral mechanisms and forums; maintained exchanges on existing issues, in a spirit of sincerity and openness.

Continuing the stable and solid momentum of the relationship between the two Parties and two countries, the two sides established the orientation for the development of Vietnam-China relations in the new period, highlighted in the Vietnam-China Joint Statement, on continuing to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, promoting the building of a Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future of strategic significance. Accordingly, the two sides "together raise strategic trust to a higher level", "build a more substantial pillar of defense-security cooperation", "build a more comprehensive and extensive cooperation structure"...

Affirming that high-level orientations, especially strategic orientations of the top leaders of the two Parties and two countries, play an important and irreplaceable role in the stable and healthy development of Vietnam-China relations, the two sides continue to fully promote the special role of the Party channel, strengthen the role of the exchange and cooperation mechanism between the two Parties. At the same time, the two sides strengthen friendly exchanges and cooperation on the channels of the National Assembly, the Government, and the Fatherland Front organization. Emphasizing that defense-security cooperation is a pillar that contributes significantly to consolidating strategic trust between the two Parties and two countries, the two sides agreed to deepen political security cooperation, establish a "3+3" strategic dialogue mechanism on diplomacy, defense, and public security at the ministerial level, etc.

Regarding enhancing substantive cooperation in various fields, the Joint Statement emphasized: The two sides consider China's development of new quality production forces and Vietnam's development of new production forces as opportunities to build a more comprehensive and extensive cooperation structure. The two sides emphasized strengthening strategic connectivity between the two economies, connecting regional development strategies of the two countries; making efforts to make science and technology cooperation a new highlight in bilateral cooperation, and strengthening cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, green development, digital economy, etc.

Persevere in the cause of friendship, strengthen the social foundation

Emphasizing that the two countries are geographically adjacent, culturally close, and have close people-to-people ties, and are making joint efforts for the happiness of the people and the prosperity of the country, for the noble cause of peace and progress of humanity, Vietnam and China affirmed that they attach importance to and give high priority to the bilateral relationship, considering it a strategic choice.

The Joint Statement highlighted the goal of “steadfastly promoting the cause of Vietnam-China friendship”, accordingly, developing Vietnam-China relations from a strategic height and long-term vision, adhering to the motto of “friendly neighbors, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, looking towards the future”, the spirit of “good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, good partners” and the overall goal of “6 more”, continuing to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, promoting the building of a Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future of strategic significance. Implementing and deepening this connotation, the two sides emphasized the importance of consolidating the solid social foundation of the Community. In particular, the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the Vietnam-China Year of Humanitarian Exchange is an opportunity to implement a series of humanistic exchange activities that connect people’s hearts, are profound and practical, contributing to consolidating the social foundation.

At the events of the Vietnam-China People's Friendship Meeting and the launch of the "Red Journey: Research and Learning for Youth", the leaders of the Party and State of the two countries emphasized: Historical practice over the past 75 years has shown that friendship and cooperation have always been the main stream of the Vietnam-China relationship, and one of the most important directions of cooperation is to consolidate a more solid social foundation. According to General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, the source and strength of the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries lies in the people. General Secretary To Lam emphasized: The people, especially the young generation of the two countries, shoulder the responsibility of inheriting and developing the precious common assets of the two Parties and the two countries, personally built by President Ho Chi Minh, Chairman Mao Zedong and the previous leaders of the two countries.

With the project “Red Journey: Research and Learning of Youth”, the two countries continue to coordinate to effectively promote the “red heritage” in both Vietnam and China, associated with the revolutionary life of President Ho Chi Minh and the revolutionary predecessors of the two countries, to propagate and educate the younger generation to have a deeper understanding of the revolutionary journey, mutual support between Vietnam and China, thereby raising awareness of the tradition of friendship and relations between the two Parties and the two countries.