Beijing, Hanoi eye closer ties
Foreign ministers pledge to continue to boost bilateral exchanges, collaboration
Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Thursday.
Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that relations between the two nations strengthened rapidly last year after the top leaders of the CPC and the Communist Party of Vietnam jointly announced the development of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, giving a new meaning to the concept “so profound is the friendship between Vietnam and China, because we are both comrades and brothers”.
Since the beginning of this year, the top leaders of the two parties have exchanged New Year’s greetings, and senior party officials have paid visits to each other’s nations, Wang said, adding that border provincial-level regions have also actively promoted cooperation and peopleto-people exchanges.
Wang noted that China always regards Vietnam as a priority in neighborhood diplomacy and stands ready to work with Vietnam to implement a consensus reached by the parties’ leaders, and effectively boost bilateral exchanges and cooperation.
The two sides should focus on the six-point proposal on developing a China-Vietnam community with a shared future and work together to promote cooperation in various fields by strengthening high-level strategic communication, accelerating the alignment of development strategies and continuing to expand cooperation in trade and investment, the digital economy, green development, new energy and utilization of key minerals, Wang said.
Calling on both sides to jointly safeguard international equity and justice and continue to support each other on issues concerning major common interests, Wang pointed out that it is necessary to avoid engaging in bloc confrontations in the region and creating various “small cliques” that undermine regional peace and stability.
Bui said that as a neighbor, comrade and brother, Vietnam supports China’s development and has always regarded China as its top priority in foreign relations.
Vietnam is willing to maintain close coordination with China, promote economic and trade investment, deepen subnational cooperation, actively promote friendship between the two nations, build a Vietnam-China community with a shared future that bears strategic significance, and bring more benefits to the two peoples, the top Vietnamese diplomat added.
Vietnam adheres to the one-China principle, firmly supports China’s position on the Taiwan question and issues related to the Xinjiang Uygur and Xizang autonomous regions, opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of human rights and democracy, and will strengthen multilateral coordination with China to safeguard common interests, Bui said.
He added that Vietnam is willing to work with China to implement the consensus reached between the two countries, properly manage differences, actively promote maritime cooperation and consultation on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and safeguard peace and stability in those waters.