Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, is warmly welcomed by Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, other senior officials and local representatives upon his arrival at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

* Xi's visit will serve as a new milestone in bilateral ties, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said.

* Economic and trade relations between the two sides have reached new heights. China has remained Vietnam's largest trading partner for more than two decades, with total bilateral trade exceeding 260 billion U.S. dollars in 2024.

* China and Vietnam can work together to uphold the global order based on international law, including an international trade system based on established international norms, an expert said.

HANOI, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a state visit to Vietnam from Monday to Tuesday, infusing new vigor into the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

In a signed article published Monday by the Nhan Dan Newspaper of Vietnam, Xi called for strengthened efforts on all fronts to build such a community.

This marks Xi's fourth state visit to Vietnam as general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president. The visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Vietnam, two socialist neighbors that have forged an enduring bond as "camaraderie plus brotherhood."

Xi's visit will serve as a new milestone in bilateral ties, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said. He highlighted its importance in advancing the friendly neighborly relationship, deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and building a Vietnam-China community with a shared future.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, greets the welcoming crowd upon his arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

HIGH-LEVEL EXCHANGE

As socialist neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, China and Vietnam have formed a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, Xi said in a written statement upon his arrival.

In exploring a socialist path suited to their respective national conditions, the two sides have learned from each other, advanced hand in hand, and jointly demonstrated to the world the bright prospects of the socialist system, Xi noted.

In recent years, the leaders of the CPC and the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) as well as the two countries have maintained frequent high-level exchanges, steering the development of the bilateral ties.

Xi paid a historic visit to Vietnam in December 2023, during which the two sides announced the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, marking a new stage in bilateral relations.

In August 2024, To Lam, general secretary of the CPV Central Committee, visited China during his first overseas trip after taking office, further enhancing the momentum of China-Vietnam cooperation.

The frequent mutual visits between the leaders of the two nations reflect a high level of strategic mutual trust, said Dinh Cong Tuan, head of the Chinese language department at Hanoi Foreign Languages and Technology College.

Xi's visit, coming at a pivotal moment in the development of China-Vietnam relations, presents an important opportunity for both sides to deepen their strategic dialogue, the professor added.

Nguyen Vinh Quang, deputy chair of the Vietnam-China Friendship Association, expressed his hope that both countries will seize the opportunity to explore new avenues for future cooperation and to elevate the building of a community with a shared future to a new level.

Citizens prepare to take a train of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban elevated railway in Hanoi, Vietnam, Oct. 9, 2024. The Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban elevated railway was built by the China Railway Sixth Group as an important project of the synergy of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative with Vietnam's "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle" plan. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)

ROBUST PRACTICAL COOPERATION

Under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, practical cooperation between China and Vietnam has continued to expand across various sectors, providing solid foundations for building a community with a shared future.

Economic and trade relations between the two sides have reached new heights. China has remained Vietnam's largest trading partner for more than two decades, with total bilateral trade exceeding 260 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Chinese enterprises' direct investment in the Southeast Asian nation surpassed 2.5 billion dollars in the same year, sustaining swift growth.

Agricultural cooperation continues to bear fruit. High-quality Vietnamese products are increasingly welcomed by Chinese consumers, bringing tangible benefits to Vietnamese farmers and catering to the growing demand in the Chinese market.

Infrastructure connectivity has also seen significant progress, further facilitating cross-border trade.

"Railway connectivity and cold-chain transport between China and Vietnam have cut logistics costs, accelerated customs clearance, and ensured fresher, more affordable Vietnamese produce for Chinese consumers," said Nguyen Ba Hai, an official at the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In a major development, Vietnam's National Assembly approved investment for the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway project in February, marking a key step in strengthening cross-border exchanges.

Vietnam plans to begin construction on this line in 2025, with planning for the Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong and Dong Dang-Hanoi standard-gauge railways expected to be completed by 2026, said Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son.

In the signed article, Xi expressed China's readiness to advance cooperation with Vietnam on the three standard-gauge railways in northern Vietnam.

Upgrading cross-border railways and ports can not only boost bilateral trade, but also enhance connectivity and resilience across the region, said Do Thi Thu, a senior lecturer at the Banking Academy of Vietnam.

Meanwhile, China and Vietnam have launched a number of landmark livelihood projects, enhancing the synergy of their development strategies.

Solar panels, waste-to-energy plants and other bilateral clean energy projects have boosted electricity supply in Vietnam, while the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line built by a Chinese company makes public transport in Hanoi more convenient.

"The benefits brought by Vietnam-China economic and trade cooperation are evident," said Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa, deputy director at the Institute of Chinese Studies of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.

The enhanced economic exchanges have also contributed to vibrant cultural exchanges.

In 2024 alone, Chinese tourists made over 3.7 million visits to Vietnam. The launch of the Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation Zone has made it possible to visit both countries in a single day. Chinese film and television productions and video games are popular among young Vietnamese, and more people in Vietnam are learning Chinese.

Noting that this year marks the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei said that through a series of activities, the bond between the two peoples will become even closer, and the public support for bilateral relations will become increasingly robust.

An aerial drone photo shows a view of Guangxi Pingxiang Integrated Free Trade Zone in Pingxiang City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 1, 2025. With the booming economic and trade cooperation between China and Vietnam, major border ports witness increasing border traffic. (Xinhua/Zhou Hua)

MULTILATERAL COLLABORATION

As the world undergoes accelerated changes unseen in a century, regional peace and development face mounting challenges, making solidarity and cooperation more crucial than ever.

China and Vietnam, both vocal advocates of multilateralism, have actively engaged in regional and international cooperation to tackle common challenges and promote shared prosperity.

The two nations play active roles within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations cooperative framework, contributing to the bloc's efforts to foster economic integration and regional stability.

Both nations are signatories to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), underscoring their dedication to an open, rules-based trading system.

Noting that the trade war and tariff war will produce no winner, and protectionism will lead nowhere, Xi said in the signed article that "our two countries should resolutely safeguard the multilateral trading system, stable global industrial and supply chains, and open and cooperative international environment."

China and Vietnam can work together to uphold the global order based on international law, including an international trade system based on established international norms, said Tran Khanh, former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Southeast Asian Studies at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.

As RCEP members, the two countries can use this platform to promote deeper regional integration and contribute to a stable trading system, Do Thi Thu said, adding that the two neighboring countries can also work together to make greater contributions to regional stability.

Xi's visit underscores the commitment of both Vietnam and China to peaceful development and regional stability, said Bui Minh Long, managing editor of the Vietnamese daily newspaper Tien Phong. "I believe that closer Vietnam-China relations will become a stabilizing force in Southeast Asia," Bui said.

Amid a complex and volatile international landscape, Ambassador He emphasized that China and Vietnam should deepen their comprehensive strategic cooperation and inject more certainty and stability into the region. This, he said, is not only an essential aspect of building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, but also a necessary step to promote regional cooperation and development.