Beijing, Hanoi Reinforce Ties

January 12, Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcoming ceremony for Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee. Likening the two countries as “comrades and brothers,” Xi said China views relations with Vietnam strategically and from a long-term perspective. “We should strengthen strategic cooperation and keep boosting mutual trust, so as to lay a more solid political foundation for the settlement of maritime issues,” Xi said at the meeting. “At the same time, we should push forward joint exploration and cooperation in the sea.”

Nguyen said Hanoi will “expand maritime cooperation” with Beijing and seek results in areas like security, trade and youth communication. He affirmed that Hanoi sees relations with Beijing as “the top priority of long-term foreign policy.”

This is Nguyen’s first visit to China since his re-election in January 2016. The two leaders witnessed the signing of 15 cooperation documents, covering areas including national defense, financing, railways and Party cadre training.