China, Vietnam pledge to expand trade, deepen strategic cooperation

BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral ties, expanding trade and strengthening cooperation across a range of sectors as both countries seek to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership.

During a telephone conversation initiated by the Vietnamese side, Premier Li said China was ready to work with Vietnam to continuously expand the scope and improve the quality of bilateral trade while promoting higher-level mutually beneficial cooperation.

Li noted that the important consensus reached during Vietnamese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam’s visit to China in April had provided fresh momentum for bilateral relations. He said government departments and local authorities in both countries had intensified efforts to implement the outcomes of the visit, resulting in positive progress.

Highlighting the longstanding friendship between the two neighboring countries, Li said China has consistently prioritized Vietnam in its neighborhood diplomacy and remains committed to strengthening political mutual trust, enhancing solidarity and expanding practical cooperation for shared development and prosperity.

He said China was willing to deepen the alignment of development strategies with Vietnam, advance infrastructure connectivity, accelerate the development of cross-border economic cooperation zones and broaden cooperation in areas including energy, mineral resources, the digital economy, artificial intelligence and finance.

The Chinese premier also called for greater people-to-people exchanges through initiatives such as the China-Vietnam Tourism Cooperation Year and the implementation of community-focused livelihood projects. He stressed the importance of properly managing maritime differences and strengthening public support for bilateral friendship.

On the international front, Li said China was prepared to enhance coordination with Vietnam within multilateral frameworks, including the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, amid growing global unilateralism and protectionism. He also expressed support for closer cooperation in hosting upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Meetings and promoting an open Asia-Pacific economy.

For his part, Prime Minister Hung said Vietnam-China relations were enjoying strong momentum and reaffirmed that developing ties with China remained a strategic choice and a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy.

He said Vietnam was ready to work closely with China to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, maintain high-level exchanges and deepen cooperation in trade, transportation infrastructure, tourism, education, healthcare and local-level engagement.

Hung also welcomed greater investment by Chinese enterprises in Vietnam, pledging favorable conditions for Chinese businesses seeking opportunities in the country.

The Vietnamese prime minister further expressed support for China’s hosting of this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and pledged to strengthen multilateral coordination with Beijing to safeguard common interests and promote regional stability and development.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and building a higher-level community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.