Yearender: China-Vietnam ties in spotlight in 2016 as reciprocal endeavors, mutual respect pays dividends

Bilateral visits by Chinese and Vietnamese top leaders in 2016 have reaffirmed their strong determination to boost the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, and laid solid foundations for high-ranking trips as well as closer bilateral ties in 2017.

Throughout 2016, the leaders of Chinese and Vietnamese parties, states, governments and top legislatures have frequently paid bilateral state and working visits and held talks to push forward strategic exchanges, reinforce political trust, strengthen cooperation in various spheres based on the principles of mutual respect, equality and win-win relations.

This in twine with working to control and calmly settle disputes, and fostering the two countries' comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a more sound, stable and sustainable way.

The year 2016 is also the time China and Vietnam celebrated the 25th anniversary of normalizing their relations.

China-Vietnam relations in 2016 were given a strong boost from the state visit to Vietnam by Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2015.

During the visit, the two sides agreed to adhere to the guidelines of long-term stability, looking into the future, good-neighborly friendship and comprehensive cooperation, as well as the spirit of good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners.

That pivotal state visit was followed by the Vietnam trip by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping's special envoy Song Tao, who is also the head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, in January 2016.

During his visit, Song conveyed Xi's message on congratulating Nguyen Phu Trong on being re-elected as general secretary of the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), and expressing his desire to work with the Vietnamese side to push forward the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Following Song's trip was the working visit to Vietnam by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, in November 2016.

Meanwhile, the third China-Vietnam Youth Festival was jointly launched in Vietnam by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Communist Youth League of China Central Committees, to realize the common guidelines set by senior leaders of Chinese and Vietnamese parties and states on strengthening exchanges of people, especially young people between the two countries.

Prior to that, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid a visit to China in September 2016.

In their talks in Beijing, the Vietnamese prime minister and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang confirmed the two sides' efforts in properly managing maritime differences, and maintaining healthy Vietnam-China relations, as well as promoting peace and stability in the South China Sea.

In addition to treasuring political ties with China, Vietnam always attaches great importance to stepping up economic, trade and investment relations with China.

Since 2004, China has been Vietnam's biggest trading partner. The two governments are striving to realize the target of increasing two-way trade to 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2017.

Investment ties between China and Vietnam have seen new improvements. By February 2016, China had had 1,346 investment projects with total registered capital of 10.4 billion U.S. dollars in Vietnam, ranking ninth out of all nations and territories investing in the Southeast Asian country.

Bilateral cooperation in other fields, including education, culture and tourism is also on the rise. Now, some 10,000 Vietnamese students are studying at universities in China, and nearly 3,000 Chinese students are studying in Vietnam, with key majors being languages, tourism and business.

Vietnam and China are also actively implementing a deal on cultural cooperation in the 2016-2018 period. Annually, the two sides exchange art troupes, and hold many cultural and sports events to help enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Regarding the South China Sea issues, China and Vietnam always respect the important consensus reached by senior leaders of the two countries, strictly implement their agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues, and consistently solve sea-related disputes through friendly talks and negotiations.

Such facts are the positive results of a series of exchanges, coordination and cooperation among parties with common interests in the South China Sea, among which China and Vietnam play a crucial role.

However, the China-Vietnam relations are facing difficulties and challenges created by the strong interference from outside forces who want to create a rift between the two countries and to lure more allies, amid changes in geopolitical situations in Asia as well as in the world.

Such difficulties and challenges require Vietnamese and Chinese leaders to frankly exchange ideas and viewpoints in a friendly spirit, seek new measures for the China-Vietnam ties to continue to develop deeply and stably on a basis of equality and mutual respect for the principal and long-term interests of the people of the two countries. Endit