China, Vietnam to foster cooperation

President Xi Jinping emphasized on Monday the need for China and Vietnam, both beneficiaries of economic globalization, to strengthen strategic resolve, jointly oppose unilateral bullying practices, and uphold the global free trade system and the stability of industrial and supply chains.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Xi is making a two-day visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

Xi said that by pursuing the path of peaceful development and jointly marching toward modernization, China and Vietnam, with a total of more than 1.5 billion people, can effectively uphold regional and global peace and stability and promote common development.

A small boat and a lone sail cannot withstand the rough waves, and only by working together in the same boat can people sail steadily and far, he said.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam, two socialist neighbors connected by mountains and rivers.

During the bilateral meeting, Xi said that over the past years, despite changes in the global landscape, the two countries have been in each other's company in striving for national independence and liberation, and have advanced hand in hand in the socialist cause and forged ahead in advancing their respective modernization processes.

The two countries have set a good example of solidarity and cooperation between socialist countries, he said.

"Faced with the current changes and chaos in the international landscape, China and Vietnam have upheld peace and development, deepened friendly cooperation and brought valuable stability and certainty to the world," Xi said.

To Lam, who received Xi with a grand welcoming ceremony in Hanoi on Monday, said that promoting the continuous development of Vietnam-China relations is in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples and conforms with the trend of the times.

He said that Vietnam looks forward to closely engaging with China in high-level exchanges between the two parties and countries, strengthening the exchange of governance experiences, enhancing strategic security cooperation, and continuously consolidating political mutual trust.

His country also aims to elevate the level of bilateral cooperation with China by creating more highlights in areas including economy, trade, science and technology, infrastructure and environmental protection, To Lam said.

The two leaders also witnessed the display of 45 signed bilateral cooperation documents, covering areas such as connectivity, artificial intelligence, customs inspection and quarantine, agricultural trade, culture and sports, livelihood, human resources development and media.

The meeting in Hanoi was the latest interaction between the two leaders after they jointly announced the official launch of the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges and exchanged New Year greetings in a phone conversation three months ago.

Xi arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Monday for his fourth state visit to Vietnam.

Upon his arrival, Xi said in a written statement that China is ready to work with Vietnam to carry out more in-depth cooperation at a higher level covering a wider range of areas, in order to deliver more benefits to their peoples, the region and the world.

He called on the two sides to uphold their original aspiration of friendship, keep in mind their common mission and seize the opportunities of the time.

Xi said he looks forward to using this visit as an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of views with the Vietnamese side on strategic and overarching issues critical to the direction of China-Vietnam relations and on international and regional issues of common concern.

China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner for more than 20 consecutive years, with bilateral trade exceeding $260 billion last year, while Vietnam has consistently ranked as China's largest trading partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations since 2016.

Vietnam is also an important overseas investment destination for China. In 2024, Chinese enterprises' direct investment in Vietnam surpassed $2.5 billion, sustaining swift growth.