Leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) pledged to cement ties and boost the two countries' strategic partnership during talks in Beijing on Tuesday.
General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping held a meeting with CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The two leaders signed a cooperation plan for 2016 to 2020 as well as agreements to develop mutual cooperation in finance and infrastructure among other fields, China Central Television reported.
Trong began his four-day visit to China on Tuesday, the first official visit by a CPV General Secretary since Xi took office in 2012.
Sino-Vietnam relations deteriorated in 2014 after riots against Chinese firms broke out in Vietnam injuring at least 90 Chinese nationals and killing at least 4. The riots were triggered by territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Qi Jianguo, former Chinese ambassador to Vietnam, told the Global Times on Tuesday that unlike in China, the CPV general secretary and the Vietnamese president are two different people, with the CPV's top leader prioritized in protocol sequences.
"It should be noted that four CPV politburo members also visited China at the same time, making this one of the most high-ranking groups from Vietnam to visit China, hence this visit holds great significance to bilateral ties," Qi said.
Regarding the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, Xi said China welcomes Vietnam's participation and Trong said Vietnam is studying it.
The two leaders agreed on making joint efforts to control maritime disputes and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Trong also expressed hope that Vietnam's collaboration with China could be strengthened through party construction, the training of Vietnamese officials, and the improvement of Vietnam's legal system based on China's experience.
"Vietnam has always prioritized its relations with China. As neighbors and socialist countries, both nations see each other's development as opportunities," Qi said, adding that the developments in US-Vietnam ties do not indicate that Vietnam and the US are going to form an alliance and that this is in fact very unlikely, considering the two countries' antagonistic ideologies.
