Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping warmly welcomed visiting Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and his entourage to China, saying that the visit – the first China visit of President Tran Dai Quang in his capacity as Vietnam’s State President, is of important significance, contributing to strengthening and deepening the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic partnership.
The host highly valued the great achievements obtained by the Vietnamese Party, State and people over the past time, expressing his belief that the Vietnamese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) will accomplish the missions and objectives set by the 12th National CPV Congress, and that Vietnam will soon basically become a modernity-oriented industrialized country and reach the objectives of rich people, strong country, and democratic, equal and civilized society.
At the State-level reception hosted by Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping for Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on May 11 afternoon
Chinese President Xi confirmed that the Chinese Party, State and people always treasure the friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, wish and are ready to join efforts of the Vietnamese Party, State and people in cementing the friendship, expanding bilateral cooperation and boosting the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic partnership in a healthy and stable manner. He said he is happy to pay a State visit to Vietnam and attend the APEC 2017 Summit in the country, and affirmed that China would support Vietnam to successfully organize the APEC 2017 Summit.
For his part, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang sincerely thanked the host for the solemn reception, and congratulated the Chinese Party, State and people on their recent remarkable achievements in the country’s in-depth comprehensive reform. The guest also believed that the Chinese State and people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) headed by Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, will continue reaping larger fruits in the process of building a modern, prosperous, democratic, civilized socialist country of China, actively contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and world. President Quang also wished success to the 19th National CPC Congress, scheduled later this year.
The guest expressed his delight at the upcoming Vietnam visit and APEC attendance of Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, affirming that Vietnamese relevant agencies will closely coordinate with involved Chinese agencies in preparing for the visit.
President Quang emphasized that Vietnam and China are the two close neighbors, which share many similarities and enjoy traditional friendship, depicted by the words “Comrades and brothers”. The traditional friendly relations were established and fostered by President Ho Chi Minh and President Mao Zedong as well as generations of leaders of the two countries in the national liberation wars and national development of the two countries. This has become the two countries’ valuable assets.
Together with cultural similarities, both the two countries are now conducting reforms, open-door policies and building socialism under the leadership of the Communist Party. Therefore, to consolidate and expand Vietnam-China traditional friendly relations in a healthy and stable manner is an important objective need for the two countries and suitable for the two nations’ long-term and basic interests, benefiting peace, stability and development in the region and world.
President Quang reiterated the consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State to always treasure and to sincerely wish to promote friendship, neighborliness and comprehensive cooperation with the Chinese Party and State, which is considered a strategic choice and first priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy.
At the meeting, the two leaders expressed pleasure at positive developments in bilateral relations between the two Parties and countries over the past time, and discussed major orientations to cement mutual trust, friendship; boost and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of comprehensive cooperation; maintain peace, stability in the regional sea; and bolster Vietnam-China relations healthfully and stably in the coming time.
The two sides agreed to maintain visits, exchanges and contacts between leaders of the two Parties and States so as to craft strategic orientations and instructions to boost cooperation in areas, to discuss and address arising issues on time, and to sustain the friendship and momentum for the stable and healthy development of Vietnam-China relations. The two leaders also agreed to well organize a meeting of representatives of the two Politburos, to bring into full play the role of the Vietnam-China Steering Committee for bilateral cooperation in coordinating and implementing the common perceptions of the two countries leaders; to effectively carry out the Cooperation Plan between the two Parties in the 2016-20 period; to hold seminars on theory between the two Parties; to promote exchange and personnel training cooperation between local Party organizations, between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Chinese National People’s Congress and between the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; to enhance cooperation on diplomacy, defense, security and law enforcement; to instruct and support friendly exchanges and cooperation between localities, particularly border provinces, of the two countries for mutual benefits; to encourage localities to take advantage of the available mechanisms to expand cooperation in various areas; and to actively seek approaches to step up management of and protect legitimate rights of seasonal labors working along the shared border areas.
Furthermore, the two leaders agreed to make a breakthrough and improve the quality and efficiency of cooperation on economics and other areas to create a firm foundation for Vietnam-China friendly relations while actively instructing ministries, sectors, localities and businesses of the two countries to accelerate the implementation of the approved plans, programs and projects and taking effective measures to grow two-way trade in a harmonious manner; to facilitate operation of the Vietnamese trade promotion offices in Chinese localities; to encourage the two countries businesses to export goods, especially agricultural produce, seafood and foodstuffs to the other country; welcome Chinese businesses to invest in hi-tech and environmentally friendly technologies, in line with Vietnam’s need and strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam; and active exchange with each other for the signing of the General Plan to build a border economic cooperation zone, on the basis of equality, mutual benefits while respecting independence and sovereignty of each country but following the law of each country. The guest proposed the host to actively seek measures to reduce Vietnam’s trade deficit with China, particularly by importing more Vietnamese agricultural products; to promote cooperation on agriculture, environment, science and technology and response to climate change; to support Vietnam with drought- and salt- tolerant rice seeds; to soon resign the agreement on the hotline to deal with accidental fishery cases at sea; to enhance cooperation on sustainable use of the water resources of the Mekong River as well as cooperation in responding to challenges of water security, environmental protection and nuclear security.
Regarding the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, President Quang underscored Vietnam’s consistent viewpoint to deal with maritime disputes by peaceful means and on the basis of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 while respecting the diplomatic and legal process; proposed the two sides to seriously follow the common perceptions and agreements reached by leaders of the two countries and well controlling disputes as well as avoiding actions and activities to complicate and expand disputes, and humanely and properly dealing with fishery issues and fishermen’s activities at sea. The two sides should also accelerate maritime negotiation mechanisms so as to gain practical outcomes; actively promote cooperation on less sensitive areas at sea; and fully and effectively implement DOC and actively work with ASEAN to sign COC in 2017.
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping also witnessed the signing of 5 cooperation deals: Agreement on economic and technical cooperation between the two governments; Agreement on enhancing cooperation in the current context between the two foreign ministries; Memorandum of Understanding on electronic trade cooperation between the Vietnamese Industry and Trade Ministry and the Chinese Trade Ministry; Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the 2017-20 period between the Ho Chi Minh Political Academy and the Central Party School of CPC; and Agreement on supplement loan for the Hanoi-Ha Dong urban train project between the Vietnamese Government and the China Import-Export Bank.
Reported by Van Yen from Beijing China
Translated by Thu Nguyen