General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan pose for a group photo with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam and his wife Ngo Phuong Ly prior to the talks between Xi and To Lam in Beijing, capital of China, April 15, 2026. Xi held talks with To Lam, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China will advance high-quality comprehensive strategic cooperation with Vietnam, and accelerate the building of a higher-level China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday.
Xi made the remarks when holding talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam, who is on a state visit to China.
This marks the first foreign trip Lam made since being elected president of Vietnam earlier this month. The trip also comes a year after Xi's historic visit to the Southeast Asian country.
SETTING TONE FOR BILATERAL RELATIONS
"Your visit to China at the earliest opportunity after being elected president of Vietnam demonstrates the great importance you have attached to the development of China-Vietnam relations," Xi said, adding that China has always regarded Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy.
Xi expressed confidence that under the strong leadership of the CPV Central Committee headed by Lam, Vietnam will firmly follow the path of socialism and strive toward its two centennial goals.
Lam said Vietnam congratulates China on the successful completion of its 14th Five-Year Plan and its historic achievements, and believes that China will smoothly implement its 15th Five-Year Plan, continue to advance high-quality development and socialist modernization, achieve the Second Centenary Goal as scheduled, and become a pillar and primary driving force for world peace and development.
Vietnam will firmly regard the development of relations with China as an objective necessity, a strategic choice and a top priority, Lam said, adding that his country will continue to support the one-China policy and stands ready to strengthen strategic communication and high-level strategic coordination with China.
Xi said the leadership of the communist party is the most essential feature and the greatest strength of socialism, and defending the socialist system and the ruling position of the communist party is the greatest common strategic interest of the CPC and the CPV.
Xi said the two sides must maintain a high degree of strategic vigilance and strong strategic resolve, always remain confident in their path and system, and ensure that all reform will not change the direction of the path or the nature of the system.
The two leaders also met with over 300 Chinese and Vietnamese youth representatives participating in the "Red Study Tours," a program that allows young people to explore the revolutionary heritage that underpins the bilateral friendship. They encouraged the young people to contribute to the friendly ties between the two countries.
"The visit by Lam will continue to promote and give full play to the guiding role of the head-of-state diplomacy between the two countries. It will help further consolidate the development of bilateral friendly relations, and promote industrial alignment, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges," said Ge Hongliang, deputy director with the College of ASEAN Studies at the Guangxi Minzu University.
WIDE-RANGING COOPERATION
The two sides should implement the new round of cooperation plan between the CPC and the CPV, conduct in-depth exchanges and mutual learning on theories and experience in party and state governance, and make good use of the China-Vietnam "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security, Xi said.
Xi said both countries should work together in their modernization drive, accelerate the alignment of development strategies and prioritize infrastructure connectivity.
Xi also called on both sides to strengthen cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and the Internet of Things, adding that more high-quality Vietnamese products are welcome to enter the Chinese market.
He encouraged China and Vietnam to continue strengthening friendly exchanges and cooperation in tourism, culture, media, education, health, sports and other fields, announcing the launch of the China-Vietnam tourism cooperation year for 2026-2027.
China and Vietnam should uphold the principles of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, and work together to oppose unilateralism and protectionism, Xi said, adding that both sides should safeguard the global free trade system and keep the industrial and supply chains stable and unimpeded.
Lam said Vietnam will work with China to upgrade the level of cooperation in economy, trade, investment, railways and other infrastructure, as well as tourism, and step up cooperation in education, training, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges, and sub-national cooperation, adding that efforts will be made to better manage the land border and maintain maritime peace.
China has long been the largest trading partner of Vietnam, and Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in ASEAN and the fourth largest trading partner in the world. During the visit, the two countries signed cooperation documents covering a number of areas including inter-party exchanges, public security, judicial cooperation, economy, industrial and supply chain cooperation, customs cooperation, science and technology, people's livelihoods, human resources development, media, and sub-national cooperation.
Upon his arrival in Beijing on Tuesday, Lam took a high-speed train to visit Xiong'an New Area, a much-anticipated "city of the future" in north China's Hebei Province. He will also travel to south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which borders Vietnam, for a better understanding of China.
Lei Xiaohua, a researcher with the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences, said that it is important for both sides to enhance exchanges on development experience, boost cooperation on major projects, and promote mutual learning on modernization paths.
"Vietnam has announced the launch of its first inter-regional high-speed rail project, and it is clear that the Vietnamese side hopes to learn more about China's mature experience in high-speed rail technology, engineering construction, and operation management," Lei said. ■
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam in Beijing, capital of China, April 15, 2026. Xi held talks with To Lam, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. Xi and To Lam jointly attended a signing ceremony of cooperation documents after their talks. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, April 15, 2026. Xi held talks with To Lam, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, April 15, 2026. Xi held talks with To Lam, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, April 15, 2026. Xi held talks with To Lam, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, April 15, 2026. Xi held talks with To Lam, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, April 15, 2026. Xi held talks with To Lam, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)
