Monday, April 14, 2025, 18:22 GMT+7

Vietnam's Party General Secretary To Lam welcomes China's Party General Secretary, President Xi Jinping with state ceremony in Hanoi

Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam welcomed Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping with full state honors on Monday afternoon at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, marking the Chinese leader’s two-day state visit to Vietnam.

At around 4:00 pm, Xi’s motorcade arrived at the palace amid waving flags, flowers, and enthusiastic cheers from crowds lining the nearby streets.

Party chief Lam personally greeted Xi Jinping as the top Chinese official stepped out of his vehicle.

The two leaders exchanged smiles and walked side by side along a red carpet to the ceremonial platform, where they reviewed the honor guard of the Vietnam People’s Army.

Children waving both countries’ flags lined the path as the top leaders passed, and military bands played the national anthems.

The ceremony site was adorned in red — the color of both nations' flags — as a 21-gun salute echoed from the nearby Thang Long Imperial Citadel to the tune of the national anthems of Vietnam and China.

The gun salute was broadcast live on large LED screens placed at the venue.

Following the formal greetings and an inspection of the troops, the two leaders introduced their respective delegations and observed a brief military parade before walking to the headquarters of the Communist Party of Vietnam for official talks.

This marks President Xi’s fourth visit to Vietnam as China’s top Party and state leader, and his second during his current term.

The visit also coincides with the 75th anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic ties and the Vietnam-China Year of People-to-People Exchange.

Chinese Party General Secretary, President Xi Jinping arrives in Hanoi for state visit READ NOW

In a message to Vietnamese leaders and citizens upon his arrival in Hanoi earlier in the day, President Xi emphasized the importance of historical bonds between the two countries and called for deeper cooperation under the Vietnam-China community with a shared future framework, which was established during his 2023 visit.

"We are standing at a new starting point," Xi stated, "and China is ready to work with Vietnam to honor our original friendship, embrace the mission of our times, and advance cooperation to new levels -- broader in scope and deeper in substance."

The top Chinese leader expressed hope that this visit would allow for comprehensive and strategic discussions with Vietnamese leaders on bilateral ties, regional stability, and global cooperation, thereby jointly developing a new cooperation plan for building the Vietnam-China community with a shared future in the new era.