The SCO Summit 2025, held in Tianjin, China, is the most important among more than 10 events organized by China as the rotating Chair for the 2024-2025 period. The summit will see the participation of more than 20 leaders of countries and several international organizations. The extended session of the SCO Summit will be held under the theme “Practicing multilateralism, maintaining regional security, promoting sustainable development.”
China regards the SCO as a pillar in its neighborhood diplomacy. In recent years, alongside its core focus on security and counter-terrorism, the SCO has increasingly expanded its cooperation into such areas as economy, connectivity, culture, education, and tourism.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working trip in China is expected to create new opportunities for multilateral cooperation, momentum for bilateral partnership. |
The summit takes place in the context of complex global and regional developments. The Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean remain engines of global growth but are also focal points of competitions of major powers, while hotspots in other regions are showing signs of shifting toward Asia.
In this context, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s participation and delivering remarks at the SCO Summit’s extended session, along with his bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries, international organizations, corporations, and major enterprises, will be an opportunity for Vietnam to contribute initiatives, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and advance the summit’s common goals. This also affirms Vietnam’s rising role, position and credibility in the international arena, and its active and responsible contribution to multilateral forums.
The summit is also an occasion for Vietnam to introduce its socio-economic development achievements, potential, and advantages, to reaffirm its determination and efforts to realize growth targets and strategic orientations in the new era; and to mobilize resources in service of national development, particularly in 2025 the pivotal year for accelerating progress toward the goals set by the 13th National Party Congress. It also offers Vietnam opportunities to share experiences and explore cooperation in infrastructure, logistics, energy, science and technology, education, and people-to-people exchanges in the vast Eurasian region.
During his trip, the Prime Minister will conduct bilateral activities with China, including meetings with senior leaders. These events reaffirm the consistent policy of the Party and State of Vietnam, which attaches great importance to, and gives top priority to relations with China. They also serve to effectively realize the high-level common perceptions reached during reciprocal visits by the two General Secretaries.
The Vietnamese government leader’s working trip once again affirms the positive momentum and increasingly comprehensive progress in bilateral ties in line with the “six orientations”, particularly since the Vietnam - China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership was elevated to a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
The bilateral relations have recently achieved important results, especially as the two countries celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties (January 18, 1950 - 2025) and the Vietnam - China Humanistic Exchange Year 2025. Political trust continues to be strengthened through unprecedentedly close high-level strategic exchanges. Cooperation mechanisms are increasingly comprehensive, and practical cooperation has been expanding, particularly in economy, trade, and investment. People-to-people exchanges and cooperation in education and culture have been vibrant. Collaboration at international forums has also grown.
Since early 2025, the two sides have maintained high-level contacts and exchanges through flexible formats. Notably, General Secretary To Lam and General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping held a phone call on January 15, and President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Vietnam on April 14-15. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Tianjin, China, from June 24 to 26.
In 2024, Vietnam remained China’s largest trading partner within ASEAN and its fourth-largest trading partner globally, after the United States of America, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. Meanwhile, China ranked first in the number of new investment projects in Vietnam with 955 projects, accounting for 28.3%; and third, after Singapore and the Republic of Korea, in total registered capital with USD 4.73 billion, marking an increase of 3.1%.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s working trip is expected to accelerate substantive cooperation between the two neighboring countries, particularly in strategic areas, security, global governance, connectivity, culture, and tourism.
On the basis of time-tested friendship and a steadily growing partnership, the Prime Minister’s trip to China is expected to open new opportunities for multilateral cooperation, provide fresh momentum for bilateral relations, and further deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, practically contributing to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.
By Editorial Board
Translated by Mai Huong