The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)’s Central Committee on July 1 congratulated the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s Central Committee on its 100^th anniversary of the founding of the CPC (July 1, 1921 – July 1, 2021).

In a message sent to the CPC’s Central Committee, Vietnam said it stands ready to ensure the healthy development of its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China to meet the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries and people.

General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: VNA

The CPV Central Committee stressed that the birth of the CPC has marked a historical milestone in the revolutionary cause of the Chinese people.

“Over the years, the role and status of the CPC on the global stage have been on the rise and become the world’s largest Party leading the most populous country in the world,” stated the message.

From the very beginning, based on the relations cultivated and nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong, and fostered by generations of leaders of the two countries, both parties have always been side by side in support of each other during their respective revolutionary struggle for national liberation, it added.

“The Party, the State and Vietnamese people are thankful and highly value the support from the Party, State and people of China to Vietnam’s revolutionary cause in the past and the current process of national development and construction,” the message read.

As both countries and parties continue the positive and stable relations, the CPV Central Committee said political trust and shared important perceptions on key issues have been reached, laying the foundation for expanding bilateral relations.

“Vietnam is committed to working with China in deepening the relations on various fields, while resolving differences based on peaceful means and in respect of legitimate rights, in compliance with international laws,” the message read.

A strong relationship between Vietnam and China would contribute to peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperity in the region and of the world, it asserted.

On this occasion, General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong sent his greetings to the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In this message, Trong congratulated China on the country’s achievements over the past 100 years under the CPC leadership, particularly since the CPC’s 18th National Congress with Xi Jinping as its core.

Trong expressed his hope that healthy and stable relations between the two would benefit the interests of people in the two countries and for the world.

Economic and trade cooperation remains a bright spot

Trading activities between Vietnam and China via Lao Cai International Border Gate. File photo

Commenting on the bilateral relations, the Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai said economic and trade cooperation has been the bright spot in a difficult period caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2020, China continued to be Vietnam’s largest trading partner and the second-largest import market. On the contrary, Vietnam maintained its role as China’s largest partner in ASEAN, and for the first time became its fourth-largest trading partner.

Bilateral trade turnover last year rose by 13.8% year-on-year to US$133.1 billion, while that in the first five months of 2021 surged by 44.3% to US$64.04 billion.

Along with trade, China was Vietnam’s fourth-largest investor out of 67 countries and territories during the January-April period with registered capital for fresh projects at US$1.08 billion, accumulating a total of US$19.63 billion for 3,192 ongoing projects.

“Cooperation in the fight against Covid-19 has yielded substantial results,” Mai said, referring to active support on medical equipment, face masks, test kits at every level from the central government to province and businesses.

“China has recently donated 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines for Vietnam, and is committed to further supporting the latter soon controlling the pandemic,” he noted.

According to Mai, the two sides agreed on the necessity to address differences based on international laws, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), saying the move is essential to maintain regional peace and stability, and facilitate the formation of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.