Hanoi (VNA) – The upcoming state visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam and his spouse demonstrates the importance and top priority that Vietnam gives to its relations with the neighbouring country, said a senior Vietnamese Party official.

Le Hoai Trung, Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations, made the affirmation in an interview granted to the press ahead of the top leader’s trip from August 18 – 20.

Following is the translation of the interview.

Reporter: Could you please share about the purpose and meaning of the state visit to China, the first by comrade To Lam in his capacity as Party General Secretary and President, from August 18-20?

Le Hoai Trung: This is comrade To Lam's first visit to China as Party General Secretary and President, at the invitation of Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping.

Through the visit, we affirm the importance and top priority that Vietnam attaches to the Vietnam-China relations in our foreign policy, thereby continuing with strategic dialogue at the highest level and strengthening the good relations between the two leaders of the two Parties and countries.

With this visit, we hope to work together with China to accelerate the implementation of high-level common perceptions, especially those reached during the historic visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2022, and the visit to Vietnam by Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping in 2023, in the spirit of strengthening and deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and building the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. The joint statement of the 2023 visit set out “six major orientations”, comprising stronger political trust, more substantial cooperation in defence – security, deeper and more practical cooperation, more solid social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, and better management and settlement of differences.

Within the framework of the visit, we will discuss issues of Vietnam’s concern, as well as how to promote cooperation with the partner who is both a neighbour, a socialist country, and a world power, thus consolidating a favourable foreign environment and foreign position, optimising external resources for the successful implementation of socio-economic development targets, and implementing foreign affairs and international integration as set in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

Reporter: During this state visit, what are the main contents which the leaders of the two Parties and countries will focus on?

Le Hoai Trung: Party General Secretaries and Presidents To Lam and Xi Jinping are scheduled to engage in an exchange at the highest strategic level of the two Parties and countries; and assess the relationship between the two Parties and countries, especially the results in implementing high-level agreements between key leaders of the two countries. These include agreements reached during the China visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2022 and the Vietnam visit by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in 2023.

Senior leaders of ministries, agencies and localities who are members of the Vietnamese delegation will discuss new cooperation contents and mechanisms for the time ahead. Besides, they will look into measures and contents to materialise the 2023 joint statement with the “six major orientations” in six areas. Notably, the two sides will evaluate and exchange views on the implementation of high-level agreements and propose additional contents and measures to make the bilateral relationship more solid, comprehensive and practical.

During the state visit, apart from meetings with key Chinese leaders, there will be various important activities with the participation of Chinese people and their representatives.

Reporter: Could you please share your expectations about the results of the visit?

Le Hoai Trung: Through this visit, both sides will affirm the importance they attach to the relations between the two Parties and countries, as well as the significance of the relations. They will affirm the set directions and high-level cooperation agreements; and particularly create conditions and mechanisms for as well as agree on measures to implement well and effectively their reached deals.

The two countries will continue to strengthen political trust and mutual understanding, and affirm the importance they give to common perceptions; evaluate achievements; propose measures to implement the set orientations and agreements, and may suggest new orientations and mechanisms.

Thereby, we will build the relationship exactly as both sides desire, according to the motto set out in the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. We will have more conditions to consolidate the favourable international environment and international position, boost socio-economic development and implement the foreign policy as well as the development goals of the 13th National Party Congress.

- Reporter: Thank you very much for the interview!