China-Vietnam relations enter ‘new stage’ after Xi Jinping strikes deal with Hanoi
- Beijing, Hanoi pledge to step up cooperation, build ‘shared future’ after Chinese president meets top leaders in Vietnamese capital
- Xi tells top officials that both sides should oppose any attempt to ‘mess up’ the Asia-Pacific
Ties between China and Vietnam entered a new phase as Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a two-day visit to the neighbouring country on Wednesday after striking a deal with Hanoi to step up cooperation and build a community with a “shared future”.
The pledge – a major diplomatic outreach by Beijing – will “open a new stage in the development of relations” between the two sides, Xi told Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong during a meeting in Hanoi on Wednesday.
In their joint statement released on Wednesday, China and Vietnam agreed to raise ties to a new stage of “greater political mutual trust, more substantive security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, firmer social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, and better management of differences”.
They also promised to boost security cooperation and intelligence sharing, with an eye on the risks of the so-called “colour revolution” posed by “hostile forces”. Regarding “maritime differences”, they said they would seek basic and long-term solutions acceptable to both sides.
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Xi Jinping says Vietnam is a ‘diplomatic priority’ as Chinese leader seeks closer bilateral ties
Elevating bilateral ties was a priority for Xi during his trip, which came three months after US President Joe Biden visited the country, resulting in a major boost to the relationship between Washington and Hanoi.
