China-Vietnam relations enter new development stage: Ambassador Xiong Bo

Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - China and Vietnam have recorded significant achievements in their cooperation in various fields and the two countries are entering a new developmentstage of collaboration, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo has said.

Speaking at a press conference on the threshold of PresidentVo Van Thuong’s visit to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for InternationalCooperation in Beijing from October 17-20, Xiong Bo said that after 15 years of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, China andVietnam have enjoyed stable and well-developed relations.

The two countries have also increased high-level meetings, with the visit by General Secretary of the Communist Party of VietnamNguyen Phu Trong to China last year after the 20th National Congress of theChinese Communist Party as the most apparent proof.

Trong was the first foreign leader that China invited andofficially welcomed immediately after the 20th Congress. This was a visit ofhistorical significance, Bo said, adding that since the beginning of this year,leaders of the two sides have continued to maintain regular exchanges andcontacts.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (L) and China's Party General Secretary, President Xi Jinping (Photo: VNA)

In addition to improving political trust, Vietnam and Chinahave also strengthened investment, economic and trade cooperation, which Xiong Bosaid has been important for the development of each country.

China maintains its position as Vietnam's largest tradingpartner and Vietnam is also China's largest trading partner in ASEAN. In thefirst nine months of this year, China ranked second in terms of investment in Vietnam.

According to the diplomat, another highlight of the China-Vietnamrelationship is the constant coordination, exchange and cooperation in regionaland international issues.

China respects and supports Vietnam in further promoting its important and constructive role in regional and international issues, hesaid.

He said that amid conflicts in several regions around theworld, the stable situation in Asia-Pacific can help the region become a main driver for global economic growth.

This is a very important opportunity, he said, adding that emergingeconomies in the region, including China and Vietnam, now wield increasinginfluence and stronger voices.

He said that overall, Vietnam-China relations "havemore opportunities than challenges"as the political trust between the hi8gh-ranking leaders of the two Parties and States has been increasingly solidified and the bond between the two countries' people is becoming stronger and stronger./.

VNA