Photo: AFP/Zhai Jianlan
Eurasia
24/10/2023 11:02
Vo Van Thuong, Vietnam's No.2 after its Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, held talks with Xi after attending Beijing's Belt and Road Forum, Reuters reported.
"The two sides should adhere to the principle of joint consultation," Xi told Thuong, adding that China and Vietnam should capitalise on their geographical proximity and complementing industries.
China has traditionally strong ties with Vietnam since diplomatic relations were established in 1950, despite a brief war in 1979. Beijing has backed Hanoi’s fight against former colonial ruler France, and later, against Saigon and the US during the Vietnam War.
“Faced with the ever-changing international situation and arduous domestic development tasks, the two countries must not forget the original intention of their traditional friendship,” Xi told visiting Vietnam’s president Vo Van Thuong.
In September, US president Joe Biden visited Hanoi, as a result of the visit Vietnam elevated its ties with Washington to a comprehensive strategic partnership, putting its one-time enemy on par with Beijing and Moscow.
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping may hold their first face-to-face since Trump’s return to office, with the APEC summit in South Korea the most likely stage. Trump has linked the meeting to a breakthrough on trade, while Xi has extended an invitation to Beijing, offering both sides a chance to ease mounting strains.
A bipartisan U.S. House delegation led by Rep. Adam Smith will visit China later this month, the first such trip since 2019. Beijing confirmed the plan on Wednesday, with Smith stressing the importance of reviving dialogue between the two powers.
China’s Defense Ministry announced that China, Russia, and Mongolia have held their first-ever joint border defense drills, dubbed Border Defence Cooperation 2025.