On the afternoon of December 12 local time, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and President Xi Jinping held talks with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong at the premise of the CPV Central Committee shortly after landing in Hanoi. The two sides announced a new characterization of the relationship for the two parties and two countries, working together for a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance on the basis of deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

In the warm and stately atmosphere of the Presidential Palace, the golden stars on the national flags of China and Viet Nam shine brightly next to each other. Hundreds of children welcome the delegation with beaming smiles.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong held a grand welcoming ceremony in honor of General Secretary and President Xi Jinping.

When General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan arrived, they were greeted warmly by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and his wife at the alighting point of their limo. Vietnamese children saluted and presented bouquets to General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan. The two General Secretaries greeted and shook hands with the accompanying officials respectively. General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stepped onto the podium. The military band played the national anthems of China and Viet Nam, and a 21-gun salute was fired. General Secretary and President Xi Jinping inspected the honor guard and watched the march-past in the company of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Following the welcoming ceremony, General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong headed for the premise of the CPV Central Committee by car. In a cordial and warm atmosphere, local people lining the streets waved flags of the two countries to welcome the delegation.

General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong held talks.

General Secretary and President Xi Jinping expressed his pleasure in coming to Viet Nam as previously agreed, accomplishing three mutual visits with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. He expressed genuine happiness of China as a comrade and brother for the development achievements of Viet Nam over the past nearly four decades of Doi Moi, especially since the 13th CPV National Congress. General Secretary and President Xi Jinping expressed China’s firm support for Viet Nam in continuing advancing its socialist cause and the firm belief that under the strong leadership of the CPV Central Committee with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the helm, the CPV and the Vietnamese government will surely accomplish all the tasks put forward at the 13th CPV National Congress, and lay a solid foundation for realizing the goals and targets set for the centenaries of the CPV and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.

General Secretary and President Xi Jinping underlined that China and Viet Nam have supported each other in their struggle for national independence and liberation, and learned from each other’s causes of reform and opening up and Doi Moi. The characterization “camaraderie plus brotherhood” well captures the profound friendship between the two countries. China all along views its relations with Viet Nam from a strategic height and long-term perspective. Changes of the world, of our times and of historical significance are unfolding like never before. The CPC and CPV are the two largest governing communist parties in the world. Both uphold and develop Marxism, both are committed to the path of socialism, and both are leading their countries in socialist development. It is all the more important that the two parties grasp the special strategic significance of China-Viet Nam relations and solidly advance the building of a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future from the height of building the strengths of socialism in the world and ensuring the sound and sustained development of their respective socialist causes. General Secretary and President Xi Jinping expressed the conviction that with the joint efforts of the two sides, the China-Viet Nam relationship will enter a new stage of greater political mutual trust, more substantive security cooperation, deeper mutually beneficial cooperation, more solid popular foundation, closer multilateral coordination and collaboration, and more proper management of differences. China and Viet Nam will achieve more progress in their socialist causes, and make new contributions to stability, development and prosperity of the region and the entire world.

General Secretary and President Xi Jinping proposed several suggestions on building a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future.

It is important to keep to the right political direction. The two sides should follow the high-level strategic guidance, enhance exchanges and mutual learning on party and national governance experience, and work together to deepen the understanding of the laws of the governance by communist parties, socialist development and the development of human society. The two sides should give each other firm support on issues concerning respective core interests and major concerns and jointly safeguard international fairness and justice. 

It is important to deepen mutual trust on security. Both sides should give top priority to protecting national political security, keep to socialism without any deviation, and forestall, diffuse and contain various political security risks with all-out efforts. China firmly supports Viet Nam in upholding social stability and ethnic unity, and believes that Viet Nam will continue to support China’s efforts against external interference and its steadfast pursuit of national reunification.

It is important to upgrade practical cooperation. Modernization of the over 1.4 billion Chinese people is a huge opportunity for the world. China would like to share opportunities and pursue common development with comrades in Viet Nam. Viet Nam is welcome to actively synergize with the eight major steps for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and expand cooperation in such emerging areas as digital economy and green development. The two sides need to work together for the sound implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, safeguard the global free trade system, and build safe, secure, stable, unimpeded, efficient, open and inclusive global industrial and supply chains that benefit all. China will continue encouraging well-established Chinese companies to invest and do business in Viet Nam, and hopes that Viet Nam will provide them with a sound business environment.

It is important to increase input to enhance popular foundation. China-Viet Nam cooperation needs to be weighted toward agriculture, education, medical care and other livelihood areas. The two sides should step up cooperation on youth, tourism and at subnational levels, forge closer bonds between young people, and cement the popular foundation for China-Viet Nam friendship.

It is important to coordinate closely on international and regional issues. The remarkable development achievements of China and Viet Nam are a result of their own hard work as well as an open and inclusive world, especially a peaceful and stable Asia Pacific. China does not form exclusive small circles, and does not stoke group politics or camp-based confrontation. China would like to step up multilateral cooperation with Viet Nam, uphold true multilateralism, and increase the voice and influence of developing countries in international affairs.

It is important to manage differences on maritime issues. The two sides need to actively explore and carry out more maritime cooperation projects, advance maritime joint development, and transform challenges from maritime issues into opportunities of deeper cooperation.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, on behalf of the party, country and people of Viet Nam, warmly welcomed General Secretary and President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Viet Nam on the 15th anniversary of the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. He once again expressed heartfelt congratulations on the major innovative outcomes in theory and practice of the 20th CPC National Congress. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong noted that under the strong leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, China has made achievements on all fronts and steadily increased its international standing and influence. Viet Nam is genuinely delighted for brotherly China. Viet Nam firmly believes that under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China will undoubtedly realize all objectives outlined at the 20th CPC National Congress as scheduled, and make new and important contributions to human progress.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong noted that General Secretary and President Xi Jinping is a beloved leader of the Chinese people, a prominent leader in the world, and a respected and revered comrade and friend of the Vietnamese people. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said both the invitation extended to him for a visit to China immediately after the 20th CPC National Congress and this third visit as previously agreed speak volumes about the special friendship of General Secretary and President Xi Jinping for Viet Nam and the high-level nature of Viet Nam-China relations. Viet Nam and China have a profound friendship featuring camaraderie plus brotherhood. Not long ago, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited the Friendship Pass at the Viet Nam-China borders and planted a “friendship tree” there to demonstrate the special brotherhood and send a positive signal of the special friendship between Viet Nam and China. He thanked China for placing priority on Viet Nam in its neighborhood diplomacy, for China’s firm support for Viet Nam’s Doi Moi and industrialization and modernization drives, and for providing valuable assistance when Viet Nam was hit by COVID-19 and other difficulties. Viet Nam is firmly committed to the one-China principle, recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China’s territory, supports the great cause of reunification of China, and firmly opposes any form of “Taiwan independence” separatist activity. Matters related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Xizang are China’s internal affairs. Viet Nam opposes interference in China’s internal affairs by any forces. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong expressed hope and confidence that China will continue to enjoy stability, development and prosperity. Viet Nam follows an independent foreign policy, and takes growing the relationship with China as a top priority and a strategic choice. Viet Nam stands ready to work with China to build a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, follow the vision of making progress on six fronts, bolster cooperation across the political, economy and trade, security and people-to-people fields, and develop a paradigm of mutually beneficial cooperation. This serves the common interests of the two parties, two governments and two peoples. Maritime differences are only part of the overall relationship between Viet Nam and China. It is believed that the two sides will properly handle them in the spirit of mutual trust and mutual respect. Viet Nam and China share the same philosophies in safeguarding multilateralism and international fairness and justice, and promoting peace, cooperation and development. The important global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping including Belt and Road cooperation, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative are aimed at upholding the common interests of humanity and fully consistent with international law. They are gaining more extensive support and positive response from the international community. Viet Nam firmly supports those initiatives and would like to take an active part. Amid a complex international environment, it is of great significance for both the two countries and the world that Viet Nam and China intensify multilateral collaboration and jointly tackle various traditional and non-traditional security challenges. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong expressed firm belief that the visit by General Secretary and President Xi Jinping will be a historic milestone taking Viet Nam-China relations to a brand new level and contribute to peace and development of the region and beyond.

Following the talks, the two General Secretaries jointly witnessed the documents signed on bilateral cooperation in 30 plus areas, including Belt and Road cooperation, quarantine and inspection, development cooperation, digital economy, green development, transportation, subnational cooperation, defense, law enforcement and security cooperation and maritime cooperation.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong invited General Secretary and President Xi Jinping for a small-group chat over tea. The two General Secretaries continued their in-depth communication in a relaxed and cordial atmosphere. 

The two General Secretaries agree that China and Viet Nam, as close and friendly neighbors, share the same aspiration and philosophy. As good neighbors, good partners, good brothers, and good comrades, China and Viet Nam have unique advantages of following the trend of the times, geographic proximity and shared cultural affinity in building a community with shared future that carries strategic significance. The two sides should carry forward the traditional friendship forged by older-generation leaders, build a community with a shared future together, and make steady progress in their modernization drives, so as to achieve win-win outcomes and common success, benefit the two peoples, and contribute to regional peace and prosperity.

The two sides agreed to issue a joint statement on further deepening and elevating the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and building a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

In the evening, General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and his wife, and President Vo Van Thuong and his wife jointly hosted a grand welcoming banquet in honor of General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan. Members of the Political Bureau and Secretaries of the Secretariat of the CPV Central Committee and other senior leaders all attended the event.

Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Wang Xiaohong, Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Public Security, among other senior officials, attended the events.