Meeting with Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (VKP) Central Committee, at the Spring Festival celebration on February 2, 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping said to promote the China-Vietnam common future community and see this community “take root and bear fruit” He announced his readiness to work together with the Vietnamese side.[1]
Xi stated that 2023 will be a groundbreaking year in the history of China-Vietnam relations; He expressed his wish for a year in which high-level contacts become more frequent, there is stronger political mutual trust, development strategies come together more quickly, comprehensive cooperation gains strong momentum, people-to-people interaction activities increase and traditional friendship becomes even stronger. Xi said that in the goodwill atmosphere celebrating the 15th anniversary of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership, he fulfilled his promise and visited Vietnam, thus making the third mutual visit.[2]
Stating that they took the decision together with Trong to establish a China-Vietnam common future community, Xi stated that this decision is of strategic importance. He stated that this opened a new path and a new chapter in the development of relations between the two parties and the two nations, as an expression of the two sides’ determination to cooperate and progress. Stating that he is ready to maintain close contacts with Trong to develop bilateral relations in 2024, Xi called on the parties to come together for high-level and high-quality exchange and cooperation through various channels, at all levels and sectors.[3]
Emphasizing that all applications and practical results will give new pace to the modernization efforts of the two countries, Xi stated that they will provide positive energy for the prosperity and development of the Asia-Pacific region and add new strength to the development goals of the two countries. Trong, on the other hand, stated that bilateral relations exhibited a positive development momentum and that significant progress was made after his official visit to China following the 20th CPC National Congress in October 2022. Trong said that Xi’s visit to Vietnam in December 2023 was a successful state visit and showed the great importance he attaches to bilateral relations.[4]
Trong stated that during Xi’s visit to Vietnam, they issued a joint statement aimed at further improving bilateral relations and signed many cooperation documents of historical importance. He stated that these fruitful results provide a solid foundation and provide strategic guidance for the relations of the two parties and the two countries to enter a new phase of development that is healthier, more practical and more productive.[5]
Trong expressed that the parties are ready to continuously pursue cooperation at various levels in accordance with the important agreements reached by senior officials of both parties. He said that this would improve relations between the two parties and the two countries, serve the interests of the two peoples, and contribute to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation and development.[6]
As can be understood from Xi Jinping’s statements, the decision to establish a China-Vietnam common future community stands out as a strategic step aimed at further deepening the cooperation of the two countries and starting a new era. It is stated that this decision has the potential to establish relations between the parties on a more solid basis and determine areas of future cooperation.
Xi’s commitment to maintain close contacts with Vietnam in the coming period and to strive for high-level exchanges and cooperation at various levels is an important element for the continuation of the positive momentum in the two countries’ relations. This includes the anticipation of greater cooperation and interaction in the economic, political and cultural spheres.
According to Nguyen Phu Trong’s statements, the agreements signed and the changes that took place during Xi’s visit to Vietnam show that the friendship and cooperation between the two countries has further deepened. This lays the foundation for China-Vietnam relations to enter a healthy, practical and productive phase of development, and provides strategic guidance that can contribute to regional and global peace, stability and development.
It can be said that Vietnam and China have certain ideological and historical similarities. As a matter of fact, leftist ideology is dominant in both countries. On the other hand, Vietnam is an important ally of the United States of America (USA). Beijing also aims to counter the inclusion strategy that Washington is trying to implement against itself by increasing its regional allies and cooperation.
As a result, in this context, it can be argued that although Vietnam has an important alliance relationship with the USA, its cooperation with an important power such as China, both regionally and globally, will be very important.
[1] “Xi Says to Work with Vietnam’s Trong to Promote China-Vietnam Community with Shared Future”, Xinhua News, https://english.news.cn/20240202/c7ffc2ac88e54e74a38f7d3ab2443fd9/c.html#:~:text=Noting%20that%20he%20and%20Trong,the%20firm%20will%20and%20resolve, (Access Date: 04.02.2024).
[2] “Xi Says to Work with Vietnam’s Trong to Promote China-Vietnam Community with Shared Future, CGTN, https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-02-02/Xi-says-to-work-with-Vietnam-s-Trong-to-promote-China-Vietnam-community-with-shared-future-1qRL05lH6RW/p.html, (Access Date: 04.02.2024).
[3] “Xi Says to Work with Vietnam’s Trong to Promote China-Vietnam Community with Shared Future”, China Daily Asia, https://www.chinadailyasia.com/article/374810, (Access Date: 04.02.2024).
[4] “Xi Says to Work with Vietnam’s Trong to Promote China-Vietnam Community with Shared Future”, a.g.e., (Access Date: 04.02.2024).
[5] Same Place.
[6] Same Place.
