In-depth
Lifting Vietnam – China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to new heights: NA official
  • | Nhan Dan | July 15, 2019 11:44 AM
Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Committee for Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Van Giau, granted an interview on the outcomes of the official visit to China by NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the invitation of Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, Li Zhanshu. Following are the contents of the interview.



Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Committee for Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Van Giau.

Q: Could you give us an overview of the official visit to China by NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan?


A: Before the NA Chairwoman led the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese NA to visit China, I worked with the Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam and learned that the Chinese leaders attached great importance to this visit. Due to the significance of the visit, Vietnam sent a delegation of nine members of the Party Central Committee to accompany the NA Chairwoman, including Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.

The visit aims to promote traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries while consolidating and strengthening political trust and promoting the implementation of the common perceptions reached in agreements between senior leaders of the two countries.

During the visit, the NA Chairwoman held talks with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Li Zhanshu; met with the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of China, Xi Jinping; and Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Wang Yang.She also visited a number of Chinese localities and received several leaders of Chinese corporations and enterprises.

Q: What are the outcomes of the talks between the NA Chairwoman and Chinese senior leaders?

A: At high-level meetings, both sides valued the fine relationship between the two Parties, States, and peoples while discussing issues inan open, frank and honest manner.

Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping affirmed that the Chinese Party and State senior leaders valued the visit by the Vietnamese NA Chairwoman and the high-ranking NA delegation. The two countries have many similarities in politics and a very fine traditional relationship.

According to Chinese statistics, two-way trade revenue between the two countries reached US$150 billion in 2018.The Chinese leader agreed with the Vietnamese NA Chairwoman that the two sides will actively support and encourage localities, particularly in border areas, to promote the existing cooperation mechanisms and strengthen economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation for socio-economic development.

He noted that people-to-people diplomacy plays an important role, contributing to strengthening understanding and awareness among the people. He expressed his hope that there would be some models for economic cooperation between the two countries in the future, leaving a good imprint in the cooperation relations between the two countries.

Party General Secretary and President Xi highly evaluated the cooperation between the two legislatures, stating that the partnership contributes greatly to the enhancement of China-Vietnam relations.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC) Li Zhanshu agreed with the Vietnamese NA Chairwoman that the two sides would regularly promote exchanges and cooperation and that China is ready to welcome Vietnamese delegations to share experiences. The Vietnamese NA Chairwoman also affirmed Vietnam’s willingness to welcome Chinese delegations.

At the meetings with Chinese leaders, the Chairwoman of the Vietnamese NA congratulated the great achievements that the Party, State and people of China have achieved during its process of comprehensive reform over recent years, affirming that Vietnam supports China to develop strongly and promote its positive role and contributions to the peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world.

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan believed that, with the nuclear leadership role of Xi Jinping, China will successfully implement the socio-economic development objectives set by the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Ngan stated thatVietnamese leaders are willing to work with Chinese leaders to direct all sectors of both sides to actively expand and improve cooperation in all fields for mutual benefit while promoting the stable and sustainable development of the bilateral relationship.

At high-level meetings, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan raised many issues, including the regular exchange of delegations at all levels and the maintaining of existing coordination mechanisms. The governments of the two countries should cooperate to effectively implement the signed agreements as well as the "Belt and Road" initiative, the "Two Corridors, One Belt" initiative, and others.

Chairwoman Ngan also proposed adjustments to reduce Vietnam’s trade deficit with China towards balance in the two-way trade. Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping said that China does not wish to have an imbalance in trade relations with Vietnam and thecountry fully supports Vietnam, its investors and traders to resolve Vietnam's trade deficit with China.

Regarding to maritime management issues, the Vietnamese NA Chairwoman proposed that the Chinese side support Vietnam to exercise its sovereignty rights and the right to exploit the continental shelf of Vietnam and control and resolve disagreements by peaceful measures, based on international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. Chinese leaders suggested that when there is disagreement, both sides need to abstain to discuss each specific issue together.

The NA Chairwoman also suggested the two countries continue to support each other on multilateral forums and Chinese leaders also agreed with this proposal.

The Chinese side also discussed with Vietnam about experience in Party building. Li Zhanshu said that, during the 70 years under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, China has also had weaknesses and shortcomings and the country has made strict punishments on officials with violations over the past six years.

Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Wang Yang, appreciated the coordination between the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam with the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, affirming that China will study this coordination initiative of Vietnam.

Q: During the visit, the NA Chairwoman and the NA delegation visited several localities of China, received leaders of several Chinese enterprises and attended events within the framework of the Vietnamese cultural day in China. Can you tell more about the significance of the activities during this visit?

A: Chairwoman of the NA visited some localities in Jiangsu province to promote cooperation between localities and people-to-people exchange between the two countries. Jiangsu province has a population of approximately 80 million and has a two-way trade turnover with Vietnam atUS$15 billion, of which, Suzhou city in Jiangsu province has a trade turnover of US$8.5 billion with Vietnam. Leaders of these localities all expressed their wish to promote cooperation with Vietnamese localities, especially in the area of economics.

At the meeting with a number of leaders of Chinese enterprises, Chairwoman Ngan affirmed that Vietnam always welcomes foreign enterprises with highpotentials, large scale of capital, high technology, and prestige to invest in Vietnam.

Leaders of corporations and businesses also affirmed their desire to invest in Vietnam and to rebuild the image of Chinese enterprises that has been smeared by a number of Chinese enterprises which run ineffective business and broke their commitments in Vietnam.

Attending the events within the framework of the Vietnamese cultural day in China, Li Zhanshu andNA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan visited exhibitions on Vietnamese land and people andVietnamese literary works in Chinese and enjoyed the art performance "Friendship Bridge". This is very special and unprecedented.

The official visit to China by NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan was a success with many contents exceeding expectations. The outcomes will contribute to promoting the fine traditional friendship and bringing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China to a new level.

Thank you!

Leave your comment on this story