Photo: VCG

At the invitation of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and Vietnamese president, pays a state visit to China from August 18 to 20. This is Lam's first foreign visit, coming only half a month after he was elected as general secretary of the CPV Central Committee on August 3. It is also his first high-level diplomatic visit as the leader of the CPV. This visit not only demonstrates the positive willingness of China and Vietnam to further promote bilateral relations in order to achieve more fruitful results on the basis of jointly building a strategically significant China-Vietnam community with a shared future, but also proves that Vietnam's new leadership is taking practical actions to further safeguard and develop China-Vietnam friendship, which the international community is eagerly anticipating. 

At the end of last year, President Xi paid a historic visit to Vietnam and announced the establishment of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, marking a new journey and a new chapter in the relations between the two parties and the two countries. The two sides signed more than 30 agreements, including strengthening railway cooperation, and establishing a communication mechanism to address unexpected incidents on the sea. Before Lam's visit to China, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said in a statement that the focus of the visit is to implement the signed agreements and to "achieve new substantive cooperation results, especially in the areas of mutual interest such as railway connection." It is fully expected that the construction of a strategically significant China-Vietnam community with a shared future will be further promoted and deepened.

In recent years, practical cooperation between China and Vietnam in various fields has achieved remarkable results and is further accelerating. Previously, Chinese companies built the largest photovoltaic industry cluster overseas in Vietnam and undertook the construction of Vietnam's first light rail project. In the first seven months of this year, the China-Vietnam international freight trains have set a record three times in terms of monthly cargo volume; the China-Vietnam Smart Port (Youyiguan-Youyi) project has entered the large-scale road construction stage, and cross-border port connectivity is accelerating. China is Vietnam's largest trading partner, and Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in ASEAN. Bilateral economic and trade potential has been continuously stimulated. In the first seven months of this year, bilateral trade volume increased by 25 percent year-on-year. Nowadays, Chinese-made home appliances and smartphones have a high penetration rate in Vietnam, while Vietnamese agricultural products such as watermelon and durian are widely welcomed in the Chinese market due to their seasonal supplement advantages. The friendship cultivated by generations of leaders of the two parties and countries has brought tangible benefit sharing to the two peoples.

The China-Vietnam relationship is showing a long-term stable and positive trend, which not only meets the needs of the two countries and the people but also sets an example for neighborhood diplomacy for other countries. China has always adhered to the continuity and stability of its neighborhood diplomacy policy, insisting on building friendship and partnership with neighboring countries, pursuing the policy of bringing harmony, security and prosperity to neighbors, acting on the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness in developing relations with neighboring countries, allowing Chinese modernization to benefit more of its neighbors. Vietnam considers the development of relations with China as a strategic choice and top priority in its foreign policy, firmly implementing an independent, autonomous, all-round, diversified diplomatic route to become a reliable partner in the international community and a responsible player. With this harmonious diplomatic concept, it guides the direction for the development of bilateral relations and regional peace and stability. 

Some Western media outlets often like to observe the development of China-Vietnam relations through the lens of great power competition or geopolitics, often drawing one-sided and narrow conclusions. The relationship between China and Vietnam, as "comrades and brothers," transcends geopolitics. These are two socialist countries connected by mountains and rivers, sharing culture, ideals, and a common destiny. In the traditional friendship established by the older generations of leaders of both parties and countries, they have continuously overcome challenges and cooperated to gradually form a close and solid relationship. This kind of relationship will continue to progress in development, fearless of provocation, and able to face challenges head-on.

In the new period of turbulence and change in the world, with significant instability and uncertainty facing regional peace and development, the significance of the two countries advancing the construction of a strategically important China-Vietnam community with a shared future will transcend the bilateral level. Just on August 16, the ninth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting was successfully held, and China's strategic mutual trust with the five Mekong countries, including Vietnam, has continued to deepen, turning the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation into a "golden platform" for regional cooperation. This is true multilateralism and open regionalism. Strengthening strategic communication and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Vietnam will help deepen Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, thereby countering the trend of "small yard and high fence" in the world. Building a global community of shared future must start with Asia. Currently, both China and Vietnam are at a crucial stage of development and construction. The solid and stable China-Vietnam relationship needs to carry forward the past and forge ahead into the future. It is hoped that the two countries will make new progress in promoting the strategic China-Vietnam community with a shared future, with increased cooperation and exchanges in various fields and at all levels, jointly promoting the modernization process of Asia, and providing new development opportunities for Asian countries, including China and Vietnam.