By Ling Dequan, Researcher, Center for World Affairs Studies, Xinhua News Agency

    General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a two-day state visit to Vietnam on November 5-6, and received an extraordinary welcome, which is a response from Hanoi for Beijing’s high-profile diplomatic courtesies for General Secretary of Vietnam Communist Party (VCP) Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to China last April.

Xi’s Vietnam visit to join hands for better tomorrow

    China and Vietnam have the same cultural origins, and both hosted state ceremonies. From the positive imagery of diplomatic courtesies, China-Vietnamese relations are developing in a good manner.

    When Xi arrived in Hanoi, the Vietnamese Communist central organ newspaper The People published Xi’s personally written article, which is a first in the history of Sino-Vietnamese relations. Beijing attaches great importance to consolidating China-Vietnamese relations.

    Xi’s article entitled, Join Hands for a Better Tomorrow is a brief description of the traditions of China- Vietnamese relations and its current situation.

    His Hanoi visit lasted for 26 hours, but rich with activities, including a welcome ceremony, official talks between two top leaders of the two Parties.

    He witnessed the two sides signing cooperation agreements, attended a welcome dinner, met youth representatives and friendly people, met other Vietnam senior leaders, visited Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, and delivered a speech at the Congress. All activities reflect Xi’s efficient and pragmatic diplomatic style.

    X’s meetings with the VCP chief Nguyen Phu Trong and Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang are the highlight of his visit, and his last speech in Vietnam was “the grand finale.”

    The summit and lectures, as well as the China-Vietnam Joint Statement outlined how both sides have agreed to uphold “long-term stability, facing the future, good neighborliness, good friends, good comrades and good partners”, promote sustainable, healthy and stable development of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

    Vietnam’s official mainstream media described the talks as “sincere and friendly”. They exchanged views on deepening relations to address common concerns of international and regional issues. They reached an important consensus.

    Both sides agreed that Xi’s visit was a success, making vital contributions to a traditional friendship and deepening all-round strategic cooperation, promoting regional and world peace, stability and development.

    Both countries are pleased with the historic achievements in the Socialist construction in line with their national conditions.

    They seek to strengthen exchanges and learn from each other, promote the reform and opening up in Beijing and Hanoi innovative development and inject new vitality into their respective Socialist construction causes.

    The two parties have reviewed the development process of their relations. They agree the China-Vietnamese friendship had been fostered of by the older presidents - Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh - as an invaluable common wealth for the peoples of the two countries.

    Both should maintain the friendship. Implement the “long-term stability, facing the future, good-neighborly friendship and all-round cooperation” approach, and “good neighbors, good friends” spirit.

    Grasp the correct direction of China-Vietnamese friendship, strengthen strategic communications, enhance mutual political trust, promote cooperation in various fields on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. Manage their differences to promote the healthy development of a comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership.

    Both China and Vietnam are in an important period of economic and social development. Both sides regard each other’s development as their own development opportunities.

    The two sides agreed to coordinate their roles on the steering committee for bilateral cooperation to promote cooperation in five areas. While strengthening cooperation in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, defense and security, a bilateral pragmatic cooperation in the economic and trade fields will be upgraded.

    Promote the docking of the “Belt and Road” initiative and the “two corridors and one economic ring” concept, strengthen cooperation in the fields of building materials, auxiliary industry, equipment manufacturing, electric power and renewable energy.

    Set up working groups and negotiate cross-border economic cooperation in Chinese construction of Long Jiang and Anyang Industrial Park in Vietnam. Guide enterprises of the two countries, implement Chinese enterprises contracted for construction of steel, fertilizer and other cooperative projects.

    To make good use of the China-Vietnamese bilateral economic and trade committee mechanism. To study a renewal of the five-year development plan for China-Vietnamese economic and trade cooperation.

    Accelerate a revision of the Agreement on China-Vietnam Border Trade, boost bilateral trade balance, stability and sustainable development, working towards a 2017 bilateral trade target of US$100 billion.

    Strengthen cooperation under the framework of Memorandum of Cooperation in the Field of Trade and Agricultural Products. Encourage enterprises of both sides to expand the trade of agricultural products, welcome discussions on relevant departments and local governments of the two countries to establish trade promotion agencies.

    To make good use of working groups of infrastructure cooperation and financial and monetary cooperation, promote cooperation progress in relevant fields.

    Implement the Hanoi light rail Line 2 (Giling-Hedong) project, developing the Old Street-Hanoi-Haiphong standard rail route planning. Promote the interconnections of Yun Tun-Mong Cai Highway and other infrastructure.

    Additionally, both sides have exchanged frank views on a consensus agreed by leaders of the two countries to implement the Agreement in Guiding Solution of China- Vietnamese Maritime Issues, make good use of China-Vietnam border negotiation mechanisms, through friendly negotiations for mutually acceptable and lasting solutions, explore transitional solutions without prejudice to their respective positions, including active research and discussion on common development problems.

    Both sides agreed to jointly control maritime differences to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) that promotes a consensus reached at an early date on the South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC).

    Do not take actions magnifying the controversy, and deal with problems in a timely manner to maintain overall China- Vietnamese relations, as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea.

    Hanoi reiterated its adherence to a one-China policy and support for peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and China’s reunification, resolutely opposing “Taiwan independence” separatist activities. Vietnam will not develop official relations with Taiwan. The Chinese side appreciates that.

    Xi Jinping emphasized in a speech that China-Vietnamese relations go beyond bilateral relations and is of great strategic significance.

    This is the finishing touch of China’s top leader to China- Vietnamese relations. It is earnest, rich in content and profound in meaning.

    In commemoration of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Xi’s visit would carry forward the cause and forge ahead to the future.

    Standing at a new historical starting point, Beijing and Hanoi will enhance mutual trust, work closely, and deepen cooperation on a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership that enters into a new stage to usher in a better tomorrow for bilateral relations.

    ( The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Panview or CCTV.com. )