* National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue had a meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on April 8 as part of his ongoing official visit to China.
Video: NA Chairman meets with Chinese top leader in Beijing
Xi was the first Chinese leader to host the Vietnamese NA leader in the visit, showing the importance that China attaches to bilateral relations as well as to the Vietnamese delegation’s visit.
Hue extended the best regards from Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and key leaders of Vietnam to the Chinese leader, and congratulated China on the great and historical achievements that the Party, State and people of China have gained so far, especially after the 18th CPC National Congress. He expressed his belief that China will successfully complete the goals set by the 20th CPC National Congress, contributing to peace, cooperation and development in the world.
For his part, Xi affirmed that China supports Vietnam's development, stability and success in socialism building in accordance with the country's situation. He underlined that the agreement reached by two countries’ top leaders in building a Community of a Shared Future has a strategic meaning, opening up a new period for bilateral cooperation based on six major directions of higher political trust, more substantial defence-security cooperation, deeper practical collaboration, stronger social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, better controlled and resolved differences, thus positively contributing to peace and development in the region and the world.
The two sides shared the delight at the positive development trend of the Vietnam-China relations, underlining that the two Parties and State have many similarities in ideological foundation and goals of building socialism, both striving for the interests and happiness of the people.
NA Chairman Hue emphasised that developing relations with China is a strategic choice and a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, for peace, cooperation and development, multilateralism and diversification of foreign relations. He affirmed that Vietnam consistently implements the "One China" policy.
Xi pledged that China attaches great importance to relations with Vietnam, hopes and is willing to promote the relations between the two Parties and countries in a deeper and more substantial manner.
The Vietnamese NA Chairman suggested that the two sides strengthen political trust and increase high-level meetings, while promoting exchange and collaboration through the Party, Government, parliament and front channels as well as in important fields such as diplomacy, public security and defence.
He proposed that the two sides enhance their strategic connectivity, create new momentum for bilateral cooperation, focusing on boosting trade, expanding goods import, especially Vietnamese farm produce, strengthening connectivity between Vietnam and major development strategies of China as well as links in railways, highways, sea and air, and promoting cooperation in finance, monetary, and digital transformation.
Chairman Hue also proposed that the two sides increase people-to-people exchanges, promoting the role of legislators of the two sides in communications work to create social consensus, thus strengthening cooperation between the two sides in all areas and joining hands with the two Parties and States to properly deal with issues at sea in the spirit of better controlling and settling differences.
Hailing Vietnam’s proposals, Xi affirmed that China is ready to work with Vietnam in maintaining strategic exchanges, increasing meetings at high and all levels as well as exchanges and cooperation through the Party channel, sharing experience and theory in Party building and country governance, fostering practical cooperation, accelerating strategic connections, especially in the fields of railways and smart border gates, and strengthening cooperation in the fields of digital economy, green energy, essential minerals and emerging industries. China welcomes Vietnam's efforts in connecting with China's major inter-regional development strategies.
Stressing that the partnership between the two legislatures plays an important and irreplaceable role in the relations between the two Parties and countries, the Chinese leader welcomes the National People’s Congress of China and the NA of Vietnam to sign a new cooperation agreement to enhance the level and efficiency of their cooperation, and actively implement cooperation across all fields and at all levels.
Xi said the two sides should actively contribute to promoting practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, especially between the youth, thus consolidating the foundation of friendship between the two peoples, and share experiences on building the rule-of-law socialist State under the Party's leadership as well as perfecting the socialist legal system.
Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China Zhao Leji presided over a welcome ceremony for and held talks with Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue in Beijing, China, on April 8.
* At the talks between Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China Zhao Leji, both sides informed each other about the situation of each Party, country and activities of each legislative body. They delved deeper into discussions on specific measures to concretise the achievements and high-level common perceptions reached during Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to China in November 2022 and Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping's visit to Vietnam in December 2023. They also discussed measures to further enhance and deepen cooperation between the two legislatures in the coming time.
They expressed their satisfaction with the positive progress in the bilateral relations between the two Parties and two countries in recent times, including the exchanges and cooperatio between the two legislatures.
The two sides vowed to effectively implement the joint statement on further deepening and elevating the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, and building a Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. They agreed to maintain exchanges and contacts at all levels, and boost cooperation via the Party, Government, parliament and front channels.
Hue suggested that China facilitate the early establishment of Vietnam's trade promotion offices in Chengdu (Sichuan), Haikou (Hainan), and Nanjing (Jiangsu), continue to expand imports of Vietnamese goods and agricultural products, expedite negotiations and signing of a framework agreement on rice trade, effectively build smart border gates, improve customs clearance efficiency, and facilitate Vietnamese goods transit to third country via the Asia-Europe railway route.
He wished that both sides would jointly build a new investment image of large, reputable and technologically advanced Chinese enterprises in Vietnam. He also emphasised the need for cooperation in resolving outstanding issues in certain cooperation projects, accelerating the progress of China’s non-refundable aid to Vietnam, and exploring collaboration on the construction of standard-gauge railway projects, including the Hanoi-Lao Cai, Hanoi-Quang Ninh, and Hanoi-Lang Son sections.
Zhao, for his part, spoke highly of and agreed with Hue’s recommendations to develop the ties between the two Parties and States, affirming that China stands ready to join hands with Vietnam to deepen practical cooperation, expand trade and investment collaboration, enhance strategic connectivity for development and carry out high-quality development.
He went on to say that strategic connectivity will be bolstered through the "Belt and Road" and "Two Corridors, One Belt" initiatives, with focus on developing infrastructure, roads, railways and smart border gates.
He stressed that the two sides need to enhance cooperation to ensure supply and production chains and branch out digital economy, green economy, new energy, key minerals and 5G technology.
China welcomes Vietnam’s opening of its representative agencies and trade promotion offices in its localities, he said, suggesting competent ministries and sectors of both sides work together to satisfactorily handle existing problems in cooperation projects with goodwill and constructive manner, he noted.
Besides, he held that both sides must continue popularising the sound Vietnam – China friendship.
Touching on the cooperation between the two legislative bodies, Hue recommended they enhance delegation exchanges at all levels, share experience in parliamentary activities, perfect the Parties’ leadership method, build the socialist rule-of-law States, complete mechanisms and policies for socio-economic development, and strengthen the supervisory role of the legislative bodies in urging ministries, sectors and localities to carry out the signed documents and agreements.
He said that the roles of the Vietnamese NA deputies, members of the Chinese National People’s Congress as well as members of the Vietnam – China Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group should be promoted in popularising the bilateral friendship, consolidating consensus in the people, and building a sound social foundation for the bilateral relations.
Sharing Hue’s views, Zhao expressed his delight over the robust cooperation between the two legislative bodies, and agreed to set up a cooperation committee and shape up a cooperative mechanism at the highest level, aiming at demonstrating the cooperation level between the two legislatures.
He wished that both sides will capitalise on the mechanism to enhance experience exchange in legislation work, supervision and state management to better serve the building of socialism in each country, making contributions to the Vietnam – China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the coming time.
The two leaders also exchanged views on issues at sea in an open and frank manner, and concurred to continue realising the common perceptions reached by the leaders of the two Parties and States as well as properly control disagreements to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea.
Hue suggested both sides actively promote negotiation mechanisms at sea, implement agreements on the search and rescue work and set up hotlines to handle incidents arising from fishing activities towards soon signing a new fishery cooperation agreement in the Gulf of Tonkin, and work with ASEAN countries to accelerate negotiations for a practical, efficient and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The two leaders were unanimous about maintaining coordination and cooperation between agencies of the two legislative bodies at regional and international forums.
Hue and Zhao exchange the new cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese NA and the National People’s Congress of China. (Photo: VNA)
Right after the talks, Hue and Zhao signed a new cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese NA and the National People’s Congress of China. They also witnessed the signing of another agreement between the two legislatures' offices./.
Source: VNA
