The State visit to China by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam was a great success, positively contributing to strengthening the traditional friendship and accelerating the building of the Vietnam–China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, thus promoting peace, stability, development, and prosperity in the region and the world.

Vietnam and China have issued a Joint Statement on further
deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and advancing the
building of a Vietnam–China community with a shared future that carries
strategic significance at a higher level in the new era.

The joint statement was reached during the state visit to
China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central
Committee and State President To Lam, made at the invitation of General
Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President
Xi Jinping from April 14-17.

During the visit, the Vietnamese leader held talks with his
Chinese counterpart and met with Premier Li Qiang, Chairman of the National
People’s Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji, and Chairman of the Chinese
People’s Political Consultative Conference Wang Huning. The two sides exchanged
views on their respective Party and national situations, as well as on regional
and international issues, reaching broad and important common understandings.

Both sides affirmed that the CPV and the CPC share historic
missions to advance national development, improve people’s well-being, and
contribute to global progress. They emphasised that maintaining and
strengthening the comprehensive leadership of the two Parties constitutes a
fundamental guarantee for advancing socialist modernisation in each country and
for ensuring the long-term, stable and healthy development of bilateral
relations.

The two sides agreed that Vietnam and China, sharing common
aspirations and development paths, view the bilateral relationship as a
strategic choice of overarching and long-term significance. China reaffirmed
its consistent policy of friendship with Vietnam and its priority status in
China’s neighbourhood diplomacy, while Vietnam reiterated that relations with
China remain an objective requirement, a strategic choice and a top priority in
its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and
diversification.

Both sides stressed the importance of carrying forward the
traditional friendship described as “both comrades and brothers,” nurtured by
past leaders, and of adhering to guiding principles of “friendly
neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability and future
orientation,” as well as the spirit of being “good neighbours, good friends,
good comrades and good partners.” They committed to advancing the overall goal
of “six major orientations,” including stronger political trust, more
substantive defence and security cooperation, deeper practical collaboration,
firmer social foundations, closer multilateral coordination, and more effective
management and resolution of differences.

Vietnam congratulated China on the CPC’s 105th founding
anniversary and its recent national achievements, expressing confidence in
China’s continued progress toward modernisation. In turn, China congratulated
Vietnam on the success of the 14th National Party Congress, the election of
deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for
the 2026-2031 term as well as the organisation of the first session of the 16th
NA, expressing support for Vietnam’s ongoing reform, industrialisation and
modernisation, and international integration.

Both sides agreed that high-level strategic guidance is
crucial to bilateral relations, while practical cooperation serves as a driving
force and people-to-people friendship as a foundation. They pledged to build on
past achievements, further enhance political trust, deepen cooperation across
sectors, strengthen social foundations and expand multilateral coordination,
while effectively managing and resolving differences.

They agreed that these achievements fully reflect the
strategic nature and high level of Vietnam–China relations, demonstrating the
accomplishments of China’s socialist modernisation and Vietnam’s ‘Doi moi’
(Renewal) process. Both sides also agreed to continue adhering to the
overarching goal of the “six major orientations,” and steadily advance the
Vietnam – China community with a shared future toward greater depth, substance
and effectiveness.

Both sides held that regular contacts between the top
leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, which set directions and
guide the development of Vietnam – China relations, are of particularly
important strategic significance. They agreed to continue maintaining
high-level exchanges through forms such as mutual visits, the dispatch of
special envoys, hotlines, letters, annual meetings, and meetings on the
sidelines of multilateral forums. These will help promptly exchange views on
major issues in bilateral ties as well as regional and international situations,
thereby steering the Vietnam–China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative
Partnership in the new era toward sound, stable development from a strategic
and long-term vision.

The two sides agreed to fully bring into play the special
role of the Party-to-Party channel as a foundation for safeguarding the two
Parties and the socialist regimes in each country, while promoting the steady
development of bilateral relations. They agreed to continue implementing the
new cooperation plan between the two Parties, organise theoretical seminars,
and strengthen exchanges and cooperation between corresponding agencies at the
central and local levels, especially in border provinces.

The two sides also agreed to further strengthen friendly
exchanges and cooperation between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the
National People’s Congress of China, the two Governments, and the Vietnam
Fatherland Front and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
They will continue to effectively organise meetings of the cooperation
committee between the two legislatures and exchanges between mass
organisations, particularly in border areas. The role of the Vietnam – China
Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation and the “3+3” strategic dialogue
mechanism at ministerial level among the two countries’ foreign affairs,
defence and public security ministries will be further promoted to coordinate
development and security, deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation, and
advance the building of a Vietnam–China community with a shared future that
carries strategic significance.

Both sides concurred to effectively implement cooperation
agreements between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs, maintain regular
contacts between their leaders, and enhance exchanges between departments and
agencies, while supporting improved working and living conditions for
diplomatic missions in each country.

The Vietnamese side reaffirmed its adherence to the “one
China” policy, recognising that there is only one China in the world, that
Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory, and that the Government of
the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing
all of China. Vietnam supported the peaceful development of cross-strait
relations and China’s cause of national unification, firmly opposes any
separatist activity seeking “Taiwan independence”, and consistently backed the
principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The
Vietnamese side does not develop any state-level relations with Taiwan. Vietnam
held that the issues of Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet are China’s internal
affairs, and supported China in maintaining the stable development of Hong
Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet. The Chinese side expressed its support for Vietnam
in maintaining social stability, ensuring national security, development, and
national unity, and addressing both traditional and non-traditional security
challenges.

The two sides agreed to enhance high-level and all-level
exchanges between their militaries, making full use of mechanisms such as
border defence friendship exchanges and defence policy dialogues. Cooperation
will be expanded in areas including political work, officer training, joint
exercises and training, research, defence industry, naval visits and military
inspection. They will also expand cooperation in logistics, military medicine,
United Nations peacekeeping operations, and non-traditional security.

Border defence cooperation will be deepened through
strengthened coordination in border management, joint land border patrols, and
the encouragement of friendship ties between the two countries’ border guard
forces. The two sides will continue to effectively implement joint patrols in
the Gulf of Tonkin and deepen exchanges and cooperation between their navies
and coast guards, while strengthening multilateral security cooperation to
promote regional peace and stability.

Both sides agreed to further deepen cooperation between
their security and law enforcement agencies, effectively utilising mechanisms
such as the ministerial-level conference on crime prevention, the hotline
between the two ministers of Public Security, and deputy ministerial-level
security dialogues. They will enhance high-level exchanges and coordination in
safeguarding political security, ensuring safety for high-level visits and
major political and diplomatic events.

Cooperation will be strengthened in security, intelligence,
counter-terrorism, and the fight against cross-border crimes, including
telecommunications fraud, online gambling, drug trafficking, human trafficking,
economic crimes, illegal migration, and violations of immigration regulations.
The two sides will also cooperate in the arrest and handover of wanted persons,
recovery of illicit assets, and protection of the legitimate rights and
interests of their citizens and organisations in each other’s country.

They agreed to coordinate in international law enforcement
campaigns such as the “Mekong Dragon” initiative, while enhancing cooperation
against smuggling, trade fraud, illegal cross-border transport of goods, and
trafficking of narcotics, precursors, endangered wildlife, explosives, dual-use
goods, tobacco and counterfeit products.

Both sides stressed the importance of the deputy
ministerial-level strategic security dialogue mechanism, strengthening
intelligence sharing and exchanging experience in countering interference,
separatism, “colour revolutions” and “peaceful evolution” of hostile forces,
while safeguarding economic and technological security and ensuring the safety
of key cooperation projects. The Vietnamese side announced its intention to
officially join the Lancang-Mekong Integrated Law Enforcement and Security
Cooperation Centre and expressed its readiness to participate as a co-founding
member of an international alliance against telecommunications fraud.

In the field of law and justice, both sides agreed to
intensify cooperation and exchanges between their respective ministries of
justice, effectively implement signed memoranda of understanding and cooperation
programmes, and strengthen collaboration in resolving civil and commercial
disputes in border areas. They will maintain the mechanism of justice
conferences among border provinces and enhance exchanges on building a
socialist rule-of-law state.

Cooperation between procuracy agencies will also be
strengthened through regular exchanges, mutual visits, training programmes, and
coordination in protecting public interests and vulnerable groups. Both sides
will continue to share experience in anti-corruption efforts, enhance
coordination in multilateral frameworks, and promote cooperation in law
enforcement in the judicial field regarding corruption combat.

The two sides agreed to step up communication and public
education on the traditional friendship of being “both comrades and brothers”
between the two Parties and countries, while highlighting exemplary models of
people-to-people cooperation. They will expand exchanges and collaboration in
cinema, publishing and media, and promote projects to translate and publish
classical works from both Vietnam and China.

Both sides also agreed to enhance exchanges among mass
organisations such as trade unions, women’s and youth organisations, as well as
between localities with established friendship ties.

They concurred on continuing the effective implementation of
their cultural and tourism cooperation plan for 2023–2027 between relevant
agencies, while encouraging cultural organisations and art troupes to
strengthen exchanges and collaboration. Vietnam expressed support for the China
Cultural Centre in Hanoi to expand its activities; and China welcomed Vietnam’s
plan to establish a culture centre in Beijing.

The two countries announced the launch of the “Vietnam–China
Tourism Cooperation Years 2026–2027”, agreeing to elevate tourism cooperation
as an important bridge for people-to-people exchanges and socio-economic
development. Cooperation in sports will also be strengthened, with sporting
bodies encouraged to enhance coordination in international events.

In education, both sides agreed to effectively implement the
Vietnam–China education cooperation agreement and explore the establishment of
a joint committee on education and training cooperation. They will promote
exchanges of teachers, students and scholars. China welcomes and encourages
more outstanding Vietnamese students to study and conduct research in China,
pledging to offer additional scholarships. Vocational training cooperation and
language exchange programmes will also be deepened, alongside partnerships
between schools, universities and research institutions.

The two sides affirmed support for increased exchanges and
cooperation between localities, particularly border provinces/regions, and
agreed to continue mechanisms such as spring meetings between Party Secretaries
of Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang and Hai Phong of Vietnam and
Guangxi of China, as well as an annual meeting involving Party Secretaries of
Vietnam’s Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Dien Bien, and Lai Chau, and of China’s Yunnan.

Both sides also reaffirmed their firm commitment to
upholding the international system with the United Nations at its core, an
international order grounded in international law, and the fundamental norms of
international relations based on the purposes and principles of the United
Nations Charter. They pledged to jointly safeguard international fairness and
justice, uphold solidarity and cooperation within the international community,
and promote the shared values of humanity, including peace, development,
equity, justice, democracy and freedom. They expressed support for an equal,
orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalisation that delivers
shared benefits, while advancing a more just and equitable global governance
system. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing independent,
self-reliant and peaceful foreign policies, upholding genuine multilateralism,
and jointly opposing hegemonism and power politics, as well as unilateralism in
all its forms and any actions that undermine regional peace and stability.

They agreed to promote cooperation within major initiatives,
including the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, the
Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global
Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, in order to
jointly address global challenges. The sides will continue to enhance
coordination and cooperation in international and regional frameworks such as
the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC), BRICS, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), ASEAN–China
and Mekong–Lancang cooperation mechanisms, while supporting each other’s
candidacies in international organisations and working together to safeguard
peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.

Vietnam spoke highly of the important role of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in maintaining regional stability and
development, and expressed its readiness to maintain exchanges on the
possibility of becoming a partner of the SCO.

Both countries will continue to advance internal procedures
towards the early ratification of the United Nations Convention against
Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention), promote its early entry into force and effective
implementation.

The two sides agreed to promote the comprehensive and
effective implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
(RCEP), and welcomed the application by the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region to join the agreement.

Vietnam expressed its support for China’s accession to the
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP),
in line with the agreement’s standards and procedures. Vietnam also voiced
support for China hosting APEC in 2026, while China backed Vietnam’s hosting of
APEC in 2027. The sides further affirmed support for countries to engage in
equal negotiations to address trade issues through measures consistent with the
rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Both sides also agreed to bolster cooperation in the
Mekong–Lancang framework, jointly building a community with a shared future for
peace and prosperity in the sub-region.

On human rights, they affirmed that promoting and protecting
them is a shared goal of humanity. It is necessary to take into account each
country’s specific conditions in identifying approaches to human rights
development that best meet the needs of its people. The two sides expressed
readiness to promote exchanges and cooperation in the field on the basis of
equality and mutual respect, while resolutely opposing the politicisation and
instrumentalisation of human rights, double standards, and the use of human
rights issues as a pretext for interference in the internal affairs of
sovereign states.

Both sides emphasised the need to better manage and actively
resolve disagreements at sea, while maintaining peace and stability in the East
Sea. They agreed to adhere to important common perceptions reached by the
senior leaders of the two Parties and countries, based on the agreement on
basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam
and China. The two sides will persist in resolving disputes through friendly
consultations, actively seek fundamental and long-term solutions acceptable to
both parties, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and refrain from actions that could
complicate the situation or expand disputes, thereby maintaining stability at
sea. They also agreed to promote discussions on delimitation of waters outside
the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and on maritime cooperation for mutual
development, aiming for substantive progress; and to actively expand
cooperation in less sensitive maritime areas and enhance coordination in search
and rescue at sea.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to working with ASEAN
countries and China to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the
Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and to soon conclude an effective and
substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in accordance with
international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea.

Both sides also agreed to continue implementing the three
legal documents on the Vietnam–China land border and to strengthen cooperation
in border management and protection as well as cross-border development
collaboration.

During the visit, the two countries signed a number of
cooperation agreements covering Party channels, security, justice, economy,
supply chains, customs, science and technology, social affairs, human
resources, media and locality-to-locality cooperation.

The two sides noted that the State visit to China by Party
General Secretary and State President To Lam was a great success, positively
contributing to strengthening the traditional friendship and accelerating the
building of the Vietnam–China community with a shared future that carries
strategic significance, thus promoting peace, stability, development, and
prosperity in the region and the world.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese leader invited Party
General Secretary and President Xi Jinping to visit Vietnam at an early date,
and the Chinese leader gladly accepted. – (VNA)

VNA-