Interview: China's progress can bring development opportunities for neighboring countries: Vietnamese envoy

The development and progress of China can bring development opportunities for its neighboring countries like Vietnam and other regional and non-regional countries, Dang Minh Khoi, Vietnam's newly-accredited ambassador to China, has said.

In an recent interview with Xinhua, Khoi said that his country is ready to study and join the initiatives put forward by China on infrastructure linkages, including the Belt and Road Initiative, on the basis of "mutual respect, equality and mutually beneficial effects for all parties."

"In recent years, China has made many initiatives on connection and integration in the region, which have received the support of many regional and non-regional countries," Khoi said.

During the visit of General Secretary of Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong to China in April this year, the leaders of the two countries reached an important consensus on pursuing infrastructure projects that will link the two countries.

"We hope 'the Belt and Road' initiative will contribute to promoting infrastructure development, creating momentum for socio- economic development and bringing practical benefits to peoples of the regional countries, including China and Vietnam."

Khoi said the two countries have recently created a joint working group on infrastructure that will study and implement measures and projects for the benefit of both countries.

Another joint working group has also been created to study cooperation on monetary and financial matters that include the effective use of Chinese investment in infrastructure development in Vietnam.

"I believe that with these working groups, the two countries can come up with tangible and workable cooperation on the building of infrastructure and transportation projects that would redound to the improvement of the living conditions of peoples in the two countries," Khoi said.

Khoi said that Vietnam is prepared to contribute its share to strengthening the strategic partnership between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

He said that by the yearend, the ASEAN Economic Community will be in place and the regional grouping, with a combined population of 600 million, would be a huge market for businesses of many countries, including China.

"Vietnam stands ready to become a bridge in boosting trade and investment between ASEAN members and China."

The ambassador hoped that China, now the world's second largest economy, will increase its investment in Vietnam, particularly in big projects on advanced technology of which China is now known for.

"This will contribute to promoting a healthy, balanced and sustainable bilateral trade and economic relations between China and Vietnam."

Before leaving for Beijing, Khoi said the instructions he got from senior leaders of his country were to make all efforts to implement the "consistent policy of the Vietnamese party and state in the relations with China and promote the implementation of agreements reached by high-ranking leaders of the two countries."

Khoi said that his mission in Beijing is to strengthen and deepen the friendship, neighborhood, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China.

"I hope I can bring the relations between our two countries to new heights in a stable and long-term manner, amicably settle disputes between the two countries, and make Vietnam and China really good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, and good partners," Khoi said. Endi