General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President To Lam gestures during a press conference at the National Convention Center in Hanoi on August 3, 2024. Photo: AFP

Vietnam's top leader To Lam will make a three-day state visit to China starting Sunday, his first overseas trip since becoming the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee. 

Analysts said the trip shows a continuation of the close relationship between the two countries as developing long-term, stable and sound Vietnam-China relations has always been the strategic choice and top priority of the CPV and the Vietnamese government.

At the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam will pay a state visit to China from August 18 to 20, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced Thursday. 

Lam was elected General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee on August 3, following the passing of former General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on July 19. Analysts said that Lam's visit to China underscored the unique and strategic significance of China-Vietnam relations, highlighting that cooperation with China is a top priority of Vietnam's foreign policy in the post-Trong era.

President Xi will meet Lam during his visit to China. Premier Li Qiang, Chairman Zhao Leji of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Chairman Wang Huning of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, will meet with Lam respectively, the spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. 

China and Vietnam are working intensively to implement the outcomes achieved during Xi's historic visit to Vietnam at the end of last year, the spokesperson said, adding that efforts to build the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance have had a good start, said the spokesperson. 

Noting that China is the first country that Lam will visit after becoming the general secretary of the CPV central committee, the spokesperson said this fully demonstrates the great importance that he attaches to the relations between the two parties and countries.

"Through this visit, China looks forward to carrying forward traditional friendship, deepening the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future, and working with Vietnam to achieve success on our respective socialist paths toward modernization with distinctive characteristics, jointly advance the global socialist cause, and contribute to regional and global peace, stability and development," said the spokesperson. 

China-Vietnam relations have a rich and positive legacy. Since the normalization of relations in 1991, Vietnam's leaders have adopted a pragmatic foreign policy toward China, leading to steady progress in the relationship. With Lam taking over, the most important task is to ensure a smooth transition and build on this positive legacy, Feng Chao, director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asian Studies in Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

Maintaining strong ties with China is highly beneficial for Vietnam's industrialization and modernization, especially given the current economic development challenges the country faces, said Feng. 

By choosing China as Lam's first overseas visit, Vietnam has reaffirmed the significant role China plays in its diplomacy and the enduring friendship between the two parties. The relationship between the CPC and CPV will steer the development of bilateral relations, highlighting that strong party ties continue to be a key feature of the current China-Vietnam relationship, Ge Hongliang, vice dean of the ASEAN College at the Guangxi Minzu University, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Ge said that Lam is expected to have in-depth discussions with Chinese leaders on further developing relations between the CPC and CPV, with new consensus possibly being made. 

One of the main goals of Lam's visit to China is to engage in high-level strategic dialogue with Chinese leaders on future cooperation. In addition to reconnecting with old friends, new connections will be established, Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.

As both China and Vietnam are socialist countries and led by communist parties, Lam's visit is key to deepening mutual understanding. It also aims to shape the development of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future, said Xu. 

China and Vietnam have maintained high-level interactions in recent years. In December 2023, President Xi paid a state visit to Vietnam, during which Xi and then general secretary of the CPV Central Committee Trong announced the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

Analysts are highly anticipating Lam's visit, which will advance the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. They believe it will not only deliver tangible benefits to both nations but also provide significant certainty, confidence, and momentum for regional development.

In addition to economic cooperation, China and Vietnam will also hold discussions covering core issues, particularly maritime issues, said Xu.

Balanced diplomacy unchanged 

The US and some Western countries are closely watching Lam's visit to China. 

Ge noted that Lam's visit underscores Vietnam's balanced foreign policy, termed "bamboo diplomacy" and honed under the late general secretary Trong, remains unchanged.

Despite facing challenges and pressures, Vietnam has effectively integrated into the international community and regional value chains by maintaining a non-aligned stance, said the expert, noting that being committed to an open and inclusive model of international relations, Vietnam aims to enhance its global standing to foster economic development and achieve long-term national goals. 

"This strategy supports Vietnam's autonomy while contributing to regional and global stability," said Ge.

Since becoming president in May, Lam has visited Laos and Cambodia. He also met with Russia's President Vladimir Putin during Putin's visit to Hanoi in June and spoke with him by phone on August 8 after assuming his role as party leader.

Amid rising protectionism from Europe and America, Vietnam, like China, faces challenges from the US and Europe's "small yard and high fence" strategy, analysts said. 

Strengthening cooperation between regional countries and developing countries are crucial for addressing these issues effectively, observers said, calling for more cooperation and exchanges between China and Vietnam.