Media Spotlight Vietnamese Party Chief’s Visit to China

Major Chinese media outlets have all reported the forthcoming visit of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, with specific emphasis on political trust and economic co-operation as expected contents, according to the Voice of Vietnam.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong welcomes and holds talks with General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping during his state visit to Vietnam in 2017. Source: VGP

The China Daily quoted a veteran researcher on Vietnam at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) as saying that the current relationship between both sides is both essential and unique, particularly as the relationship between the two ruling parties plays a navigating role in the overall bilateral relationship.

The article in the newspaper provides figures which highlight mutual economic ties, with annual bilateral trade surpassing US$230 billion in 2021. The two countries have also held regular high-level contacts this year in a bid to promote co-operation.

The article reiterated the phone call made between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Premier Li Keqiang, in which the Chinese Premier outlined that he is elated to see steady Vietnamese economic growth helping to maintain the stability of industry and supply chains throughout Asia.

Premier Keqiang affirmed his nation’s readiness to ensure a smooth clearance of border gates, expand the import of high-quality agricultural products of Vietnam, as well as welcoming back Vietnamese students and increasing direct flights between the two countries.

Elsewhere, the Global Times of the People’s Daily published an editorial featuring the significance of joint relations. The editorial outlined that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will be the first foreign leader to visit China since the 20th National Party Congress.

The editorial affirmed that the special relationship that exists lies in the special friendship, which is a valuable asset of the two parties and of both peoples.

Since the normalisation of bilateral relations in the early 1990s, the two parties have maintained the custom of exchanging congratulatory messages and high-level visits following party congresses.

Indeed, after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping made his first oversea visit to Vietnam after being elected as the General Secretary for the second term.

This visit by General Secretary Trong aims to continue the tradition and fully demonstrate the mutual trust and friendship that exists between the two parties.

Furthermore, the two countries are neighbours who share a common culture, with both sides continuing on their respective development pathways.

China and Vietnam therefore continue to adhere to the policy of long-term stability towards the future, good neighbourliness, and comprehensive co-operation in the spirit of being “good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and good partners”.

The editorial affirmed that the bilateral friendship has reached a new stage of a comprehensive strategic partnership. This meeting between the two leaders will therefore serve to tighten the Vietnam-China friendship.

The South China Morning Post, based in Hong Kong (China), emphasised that the invitation of Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping to General Secretary Trong right after the 20th National Congress ended, with the Chinese leader being re-elected for a third term which affirmed Vietnam’s position as part of China’s diplomatic concerns.

The article quoted international relations researcher Kalvin Fung Ka-shing of Waseda University in Tokyo as saying that the visit serves to reflect the friendship, solidarity, and ideological relationship of both sides, which in turn will help the two countries overcome all obstacles.

Trucks carrying agricultural products wait for export procedures to China. Photo: VNA

The Shanghai Observer of the Liberation Daily, the mouthpiece of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, reported in-depth analysis of the upcoming visit, stating that this is the first visit by the country’s top foreign leader to visit China after the 20th National Party Congress. Indeed, it is also the first host diplomatic activity after the new leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was elected, thereby capturing international attention.

The article quoted Liu Qing, vice president and senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, and Xu Liping, a research fellow on Southeast Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that since the normalisation of relations, exchanges between the two parties have continuously deepened. At present, their close relationship has become a “clear feature” in the development of relations between the two sides.

Xu assessed that the visit to Vietnam by Party General Secretary Xi Jinping in 2017, as well as the upcoming visit to China by General Secretary Trong sends three messages. Indeed, it shows the importance of the bilateral relationship, their special affection, and the guiding role of party exchanges in the mutual relationship.

According to Liu, both sides treasure the current relationship between the two parties and countries. As a result of this, strengthening political trust and promoting economic and trade co-operation will be top of the agenda.

The trip is of “special significance”, researcher Hua said, from the perspective of regional co-operation as this year is the first time that China has established a comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN. Therefore, “the visit will usher in a good start” in deepening strategic co-operation between China and ASEAN, he said.

Wei Wei, head of the Vietnamese department under China’s central TV and radio station, told the Vietnam News Agency that the two sides have continued with high-level strategic contacts through phone talks between their senior leaders.

Recalling their mutual support in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, he highlighted China is one of the countries that provided the most types of vaccines for Vietnam in a timely manner, vividly demonstrating the friendship and the tradition of mutual support between the two neighbouring countries.

Wei noted that the two countries have utilised their reciprocal advantages in the spirit of mutual benefits, and stepped up pragmatic cooperation in economy, trade and investment.

He highlighted similarities between the two countries in the political system, traditional cultural identities and development goals.

Vietnamese and Chinese Party and State leaders are working to deepen the bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new situation, Wei said, stressing that the two sides have enhanced solidarity and cooperation, shared the wish for development, supported and maintained multilateralism, and promoted common values of humankind.