Vietnam and China affirmed giving priority to each other in their foreign policies, pledging to further promote their comprehensive strategic partnership during a recent meeting between the countries’ top legislators.    

Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Zhao Leji on Monday hosted talks with Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, who arrived in Beijing a day earlier for a six-day official visit.

The host and guest expressed their satisfaction with the positive advancements in bilateral relations between the two Parties and countries, particularly highlighting the exchanges and cooperation between their respective legislatures in recent times.

Seeing Vietnam as a priority in its overall neighborly foreign policy, China consistently supports Vietnam in successfully implementing its industrialization and modernization, as well as enhancing its international role, Zhao said.

Chairman Hue emphasized that the Party and state of Vietnam attach special importance to the development of stable, healthy, sustainable, and long-term relations with China, considering it a strategic choice and top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism, and diversification of ties.

Both the top legislators agreed to promote the effective implementation of the joint statement reached between the two countries last December on continuing to deepen and elevate their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, while building a Vietnam-China community for a shared future.

Hue proposed that the two sides promote connection in development strategies, further improving the quality and effectiveness of cooperation in all fields.

He suggested that China create favorable conditions for the early establishment of Vietnam’s trade promotion offices in Chengdu City (Sichuan Province), Haikou City (Hainan), and Nanjing City (Jiangsu).

The top Vietnamese legislator recommended that China continue opening markets for imports from Vietnam, including agricultural and aquatic products, and soon negotiate and sign a framework agreement on rice trade.

He also asked China to effectively deploy the pilot construction of smart border gates, improve customs clearance efficiency, and facilitate Vietnamese goods transiting Chinese railways to third countries via the Asia-Europe railway.

The two sides should coordinate to resolve problems in a number of cooperation projects, and speed up the progress of China's non-refundable aid to Vietnam, Hue told his host.

He called for more efforts in surveys and cooperation for the construction of several standard-gauge railway projects, particularly in the Hanoi - Lao Cai, Hanoi - Quang Ninh, and Hanoi - Lang Son sections.

Zhao highly appreciated and agreed to Hue’s proposals on boosting multifaceted relations between the two nations.

China is ready to deepen practical cooperation with Vietnam, expand trade and investment cooperation, strengthen strategic development connection, and realize high-quality development, the host stressed. 

Strategic connectivity will be fostered between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the cooperative framework ‘Two Corridors, One Belt’ adopted by the two nations, focusing on developing infrastructure, roads, railways, and smart border gates, Zhao told his guest.

The two sides agreed to promote cooperation to develop supply chains, production chains, digital economy, green economy, new energy, key minerals, and 5G technology.

China welcomes Vietnam’s opening of its representative agencies and trade promotion offices in China, Zhao said, adding that both sides should work together to satisfactorily handle existing problems in bilateral cooperation. 

Regarding the cooperation between the two legislative bodies, Hue recommended they enhance delegation exchanges at all levels, share experience in parliamentary activities, and strengthen the supervisory role of the legislative bodies in urging ministries, sectors, and localities to implement the signed documents and agreements.

The two parliamentarians agreed to continue realizing the common perceptions reached by the leaders of the two Parties and states, and controlling disagreements effectively to maintain peace and stability in the East Vietnam Sea, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Hue urged both sides to fulfill agreements concerning search and rescue operations and establish hotlines to address incidents stemming from fishing activities, with the aim of promptly finalizing a new fishery cooperation agreement in the Gulf of Tonkin.

The two countries should work with other ASEAN countries to accelerate negotiations for a Code of Conduct (COC) for the East Vietnam Sea in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Vietnam News Agency reported, citing the two legislature leaders. 

Following their talks, Hue and Zhao signed and exchanged a new cooperation agreement between the two legislative bodies. 

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!