China, Vietnam agree to build a community with shared future

Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: China and Vietnam on Tuesday agreed to build a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

The two sides have announced the new positioning of relations between the two parties and countries and agreed to build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance on the basis of deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two sides.

The announcement was made during the ongoing state visit to Vietnam by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president.

During his talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, Xi made proposals on six major areas, including politics, security, practical cooperation, public support, international and regional issues, and maritime issues, to build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

Politically, China and Vietnam should be on the right track, said Xi. The two countries should firmly support each other on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns, and jointly safeguard international fairness and justice, he said.

In terms of security, the two countries need to deepen mutual trust, said Xi.

China firmly supports Vietnam in safeguarding social stability and national unity, and believes that Vietnam will continue to support China in opposing external interference and firmly advancing the cause of national reunification, he said.

Xi also called for the two countries to improve and upgrade their practical cooperation.

China welcomes Vietnam to seek synergy with the eight actions of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, he said. The two sides should boost cooperation in emerging areas such as digital economy and green development, he added.

Both countries should also jointly implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, safeguard the global free trade system, and build global industrial and supply chains that are safe, stable, smooth, efficient, open, inclusive, and mutually beneficial, added Xi.

He also called for more input to cement popular support for China-Vietnam friendship.

The two countries should focus more on cooperation in fields related with people’s livelihood such as agriculture, education, and medical care, and boost youth, tourism and subnational cooperation, said Xi.

China and Vietnam should coordinate closely on international and regional issues, he said.

China does not engage in exclusive small circles, group politics, or camp confrontation, said Xi, adding that China is willing to strengthen multilateral cooperation with Vietnam, safeguard true multilateralism and increase the voice and influence of developing countries in international affairs.

Xi said China and Vietnam should manage differences on maritime issues, and turn challenges posed by maritime issues into opportunities of bilateral cooperation.

The two sides should actively discuss and carry out more maritime cooperation projects and strive to promote joint maritime development, he said.

During the talks, Xi also underscored the special strategic significance of China-Vietnam relations.

As the world’s top two ruling Communist parties, both the CPC and the CPV have been adhering to and developing Marxism, unswervingly following the path of socialism, and leading their respective country in socialist construction, said Xi.

All the more, the two parties should grasp the special strategic significance of China-Vietnam relations and make solid progress in building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future from the perspective of strengthening the socialist forces in the world and ensuring the steady and long-term progress of their respective cause of socialist construction, Xi added.

For his part, Trong said that Vietnam and China share a deep friendship, one that is characterized by comradeship and brotherhood.

Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China principle, recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China’s territory, supports the cause of China’s reunification and strongly opposes any form of “Taiwan independence” separatist activities, he said.

Noting that issues related to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and the Xizang Autonomous Region are China’s internal affairs, Trong said the Vietnamese side opposes any external interference in China’s internal affairs, and hopes and believes that China will maintain stability, development, and prosperity.

Vietnam adheres to an independent foreign policy, and takes developing ties with China as a top priority and a strategic choice, he said.

Noting that differences on maritime issues are just one facet of the Vietnam-China relationship, Trong said Vietnam believes that both sides can appropriately address these issues in the spirit of mutual trust and mutual respect.

Closer collaboration between Vietnam and China on multilateral fronts to jointly address various traditional and non-traditional security challenges under the current complex international situation holds significant importance for both countries and the world, he said.

Vietnam believes that Xi’s visit will be a historic milestone in advancing Vietnam-China relations to new heights and help contribute to regional and global peace and development, he added.

After the talks, Xi and Trong jointly witnessed cooperative documents signed by the two sides in more than 30 areas, including the building of the Belt and Road, digital economy, green development, transportation, local cooperation, defense and law enforcement security cooperation, and maritime cooperation.

Xi on Tuesday also attended a welcome ceremony and a welcome dinner hosted by Trong.