Vietnamese and Chinese academics have attributed great importance to the three-day visit to China, starting Sunday, by Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the first foreign leader to visit China after the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.

General Secretary Trong and his entourage left Hanoi for China on Sunday morning for an official visit lasting until November 1, at the invitation of Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

Talking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper about the visit, international relations experts agreed that the timing of the visit showed that China attaches special importance to its relationship with Vietnam.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Trung, lecturer at Fulbright Vietnam University and a senior researcher on China, said that the visit is really meaningful for both China and Vietnam.

“The fact that Beijing invited General Secretary Trong to visit immediately after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China shows that China considers Vietnam an important country and wishes to further promote relations between the two Parties,” Dr. Trung commented.

In the context of the complicated world developments and the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine military conflict, the cohesion between Hanoi and Beijing is expected to not only deepen the cooperation between the two Parties but also contribute to bringing stability to the region, the scholar noted.

Trung also believed that the visit by General Secretary Trong this time will help establish an important bilateral communication channel through which Vietnam can discuss with China not only cooperation issues but some points of disagreement, Trung said.

“Vietnam is now a member of many international organizations and mechanisms. Therefore, having good relations with Vietnam can help China strengthen its international image as well as boost their mutual support at multilateral forums,” Trung remarked. 

Nguyen Tang Nghi, lecturer of the international relations department of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, commented that the visit showed a close connection as well as personal affection between the leaders of the two Parties, particularly between the two general secretaries.

China has prepared the highest ceremonial level for the reception for General Secretary Trong, said Nghi, a former graduate student at the Renmin University of China.

Chinese leaders have been satisfied with the success of the recent National Party Congress, taking place from October 16 to 22, and they have shown goodwill to settle some external issues including the East Vietnam Sea, Nghi commented. 

“I also believe that the two sides will reach a common voice on issues having yet to be settled and achieve more positive outcomes in settling them than in previous years,” Nghi said.

Chinese media and scholars have highlighted Trong’s visit, with Global Times featuring him as the first foreign leader to visit China after the 20th National Party Congress.

General Secretary Trong’s visit will serve as a continuation of the traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and China and demonstrates the mutual trust between the two Parties and two states, Global Times said.  

The Chinese daily also recalled that Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi made his first foreign trip to Vietnam after China’s 19th National Party Congress in 2017.

The three-day visit in the current context by General Secretary Trong has reflected the great importance of the relationship between the two nations and the two Parties, said the head of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at China’s Xiamen University.

Bai Ming, deputy director of the International Market Institute at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, also stressed that Trong’s visit will certainly help strengthen the bilateral economic cooperation, bringing it to a new height, as this is one of the consistent points in China’s policies toward Vietnam.

Bai noted that China has continued being Vietnam’s largest trading partner despite the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years.

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