Frequent top-tier interactions fortify Vietnamese-Chinese alliance and mutual political confidence, according to a Chinese academic.
Vietnam and China maintain a close relationship, guided by the principle of the "four goods" - good neighbours, good friends, good comrades, and good partners. This friendship, rooted in history, has evolved over the years, with both nations serving as good comrades and brothers.
The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) have forged strong ties, a testament to the profound friendship between President Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong. This bond has been further strengthened by high-level exchanges, with party leaders from both countries regularly visiting each other's country.
However, the specific frequencies of these visits are not extensively detailed in the available sources. Notably, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lâm, is a de facto party leader, but the latest visit of To Lâm to China is not specified in the search results.
Liu Ying, a researcher at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies under the Renmin University of China, highlights the importance of these frequent exchanges and visits. According to Liu Ying, they provide momentum for advancing bilateral ties in all fields.
Vietnam's economic progress over the past eighty years, particularly in economic reform and external opening, has not gone unnoticed. Liu Ying acknowledges this, noting that Vietnam has made remarkable strides.
China, Vietnam's largest trading partner for more than fifteen years, has been instrumental in Vietnam's economic growth. This trade relationship has been further strengthened, with Vietnam now being China's biggest trading partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Over the past five years, ASEAN has become China's leading trading partner.
The bilateral relationship between Vietnam and China has advanced to "six major orientations", comprising stronger political trust, more substantial cooperation in defence-security, deeper and more practical cooperation, more solid social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, and better management and settlement of differences.
Both sides encourage enterprises to strengthen practical cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, science, and technology. This cooperation is crucial for ensuring stability and predictability in bilateral cooperation despite a complex international environment.
Looking ahead, Vietnam will need to sustain its growth momentum while tackling challenges on the way towards high-quality and sustainable development. The high-level engagement between Vietnam and China will continue to play a vital role in this endeavour.
In August 2024, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm visited China, during which both sides agreed to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and accelerate the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future. This commitment signifies the continued growth and strengthening of the Vietnam-China relationship in the years to come.
The Communist Party of Việt Nam has played a pivotal role in policy direction and institutional reform, ensuring the nation's development path. With this strong foundation, the future of Vietnam-China relations looks promising, opening up broad prospects and deepening across all areas.
