General Secretary and President To Lam holds talks with General Secretary and President of China

On August 19, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, following a solemn official welcoming ceremony, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, To Lam, held high-level talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping.

President Xi Jinping expressed his pleasure and congratulated Comrade To Lam on his election as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He conveyed his confidence that the Party and State of Vietnam will continue to build on the legacy of the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, achieving even greater successes in the ongoing process of innovation and socialist construction.

President Xi underscored the importance of this visit, marking General Secretary and President To Lam's first State visit to China, which is also his first foreign visit as the head of the Party and State of Vietnam. This visit reflects the strong commitment and top priority both Parties and countries place on the Vietnam - China relationship.

General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his deep respect and gratitude to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for their message of condolence on the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, highlighting the special bond between Comrade Xi Jinping and Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong.

Acknowledging the profound significance of his visit, General Secretary and President To Lam affirmed that Vietnam places great importance on and prioritizes its friendly, neighborly relations with China. He emphasized the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and the Community of Shared Future between the two nations.

In the context of increasingly complex and unpredictable global and regional developments, General Secretary and President To Lam reiterated Vietnam's steadfast commitment to a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development. He stressed the importance of diversifying and multilateralizing foreign relations and adhering to Vietnam's "4 no’s" defense policy.

In a warm and cordial atmosphere, the two leaders discussed the current situations in their respective Parties and countries, as well as the state of relations between the two nations.

The two General Secretaries and Presidents reached a broad consensus on enhancing political trust and maintaining regular exchanges and communication between the senior leaders of both Parties and countries. They emphasized the strategic role of the Party channel in shaping the overall bilateral relationship and agreed to deepen theoretical cooperation. This includes mechanisms such as theoretical seminars between the two Parties, which will facilitate the timely sharing of the latest theoretical and practical achievements, contributing meaningfully to the progress of both Parties and countries.

The two leaders underscored the importance of strengthening and expanding substantial areas of cooperation. They agreed to enhance collaboration in security and defense, promote economic, trade, and investment cooperation, and advance the "Two Corridors, One Belt" initiative in conjunction with the "Belt and Road" initiative. This includes improving infrastructure connectivity in railways and roads, strengthening supply chain cooperation, fostering economic ties between border provinces, and enhancing exchanges on state-owned enterprise reforms.

General Secretary and President To Lam proposed that both sides intensify cooperation on major, high-profile projects reflecting political trust and demonstrating China's advanced development and scientific-technological capabilities. He suggested that China provide preferential loan support, technology transfer, and human resources training, as well as invest in key infrastructure projects in Vietnam. Additionally, he encouraged increased investment in areas where China has significant advantages, such as the green economy and digital economy.

President Xi Jinping affirmed China's readiness to increase imports of Vietnamese agricultural products and to expand trade promotion offices in China. He also pledged to facilitate the entry of high-quality Vietnamese agricultural products into the Chinese market.

Highlighting the upcoming 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025, the two General Secretaries and Presidents agreed on further enhancing people-to-people exchanges to foster mutual understanding and friendship, especially among the younger generations. They agreed to designate 2025 as the "Year of Vietnam - China Humanities Exchange."

Regarding maritime issues, the two sides engaged in a sincere and candid exchange, agreeing to implement the high-level mutual understandings already reached effectively and to strive to manage and resolve differences more effectively.

General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized the need for both sides to respect each other's legitimate interests and resolve disputes through peaceful means, following the United Nations Charter and international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He called for strict adherence to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the promotion of a substantive, effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), aligned with international law and UNCLOS 1982.

After the talks, General Secretary and President To Lam and General Secretary and President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements between various departments, ministries, and localities of both countries. These agreements covered a range of fields, including party-building, agricultural trade, broadcasting, media, healthcare, infrastructure, trade, industry, and banking.