Top-level design charts China-Vietnam ties toward shared future

FOSTERING FUTURE COOPERATION

With support of both leaders, China and Vietnam have deepened and broadened practical cooperation in recent years.

Statistics illustrated the strong economic ties between the two neighbors.

China has been Vietnam's biggest trading partner for 13 years in a row, and Vietnam has become China's biggest trading partner among ASEAN countries. There are over 300 passenger flights between the two countries every week.

Bilateral trade in 2016 reached nearly 100 billion U.S. dollars. More and more Chinese companies are investing in Vietnam.

To reinforce the sound momentum of pragmatic cooperation, Xi and Trong agreed to further synergize the development strategies of their countries.

They witnessed on Sunday the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the joint implementation of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam's "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle" plan.

"We greatly appreciate China's 'One Belt and One Road' initiative, which plays an important role in international cooperation and has a significant impact on the peace and stability in the region and the world," said Don Tuan Phong, acting president of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations.

Leaders of both sides also pledged concerted efforts to promote regional economic links and connectivity, secure practical results in such cooperation areas as economy and trade, industrial capacity, investment, infrastructure and monetary finance, and push forward the construction of cross-border economic cooperation zones as well as cooperation in agriculture, environment, science and technology, and transportation.

"We are encouraged by the agreement reached by both leaders on expediting the construction of the cross-border economic cooperation zones," said Yang Wansheng, president of Guangxi Jingxi Full Rich Investment Co., Ltd.

The Chinese company vowed to step up cooperation with its Vietnamese partners in building the Longbang, China--Tra Linh, Vietnam Cross-border Economic Cooperation Zone Pilot Project.

The project is expected to create more than 100,000 jobs at the border areas and help 350,000 local residents get rid of poverty, according to Yang.

During Xi's visit, the two sides also vowed to expand cooperation in culture, education, media, health, youth-related affairs and tourism, and bring the Chinese Cultural Center in Hanoi and the Vietnam-China Friendship Palace into operation as early as possible, so as to further consolidate public support for China-Vietnam friendship.

Shared water, shared future. As the saying goes in China, "when water comes, a channel is formed," which means when conditions are ripe, success is achieved. The landmark visit of Xi will surely push China-Vietnam relations toward a shared future.