Continuing traditional friendship, upgrading pragmatic cooperation, and building a new “shining moment” in China Vietnam relations through the construction of a community with a shared future

On April 14, 2025, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam by special plane to begin his first overseas visit of the year. This visit marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam, as well as a key milestone in the joint promotion of the construction of a “community of shared future with strategic significance” between the two countries. It signifies a new era of building on the past and opening up the future in the relationship between China and Vietnam.

The fate bond in the long river of history: from “comrades plus brothers” to strategic mutual trust

China and Vietnam are connected by mountains and rivers, and the “deep friendship between Vietnam and China, comrades and brothers” that has been condensed over thousands of years of exchanges has become the genetic code of the relationship between the two countries. On January 18, 1950, New China established diplomatic relations with Vietnam, breaking the Western blockade and ushering in a new era of “sharing the same breath and destiny”. In the flames of revolution, the two countries fought side by side, with China providing a large amount of material aid to Vietnam and Vietnamese Communists actively participating in the Chinese revolution. President Ho Chi Minh carried out revolutionary activities in China for 12 years, establishing the Vietnamese Youth Revolutionary Comrades Association in Guangzhou, the Vietnamese Communist Party in Hong Kong, and guiding the Vietnamese revolution in Yunnan, Guangxi, and other places for a long time. The Nanxi Mountain Hospital in Guilin, Guangxi was established under the personal care of Premier Zhou Enlai and has rescued over 5000 injured Vietnamese soldiers; Yucai School has trained over 10000 students for Vietnam. The famous Vietnamese general Hongshui joined the Guangzhou Uprising and participated in the Long March of the Chinese Red Army, becoming the only foreign general among the founding generals of New China.

In the new era, the top leaders of China and Vietnam maintain close strategic communication. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Su Lim, chose China for his first overseas visit after taking office, demonstrating the deep inheritance of strategic mutual trust between the two countries.

The ‘dual engines’ of win-win cooperation: economy, trade, technology, and culture shoot at once

The bilateral trade volume between China and Vietnam has increased from over 2.4 billion US dollars in 2000 to 205.2 billion US dollars in 2024, a 6400 fold surge in 30 years. China has maintained its position as Vietnam’s largest trading partner for 20 consecutive years, and Vietnam has consistently become China’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. According to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, the export value of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables to China reached 2.75 billion US dollars in the first nine months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 160%, accounting for 65% of Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable exports during the same period. Vietnamese coffee, fresh coconut and other high-quality products are deeply loved by the Chinese people. Vietnam’s durian exports to China account for more than 90% of its total durian exports, bringing tangible benefits to Vietnamese farmers.

China’s high-speed rail and 5G technology are helping Vietnam’s modernization process, and Vietnamese agricultural products such as coffee and durian are taking advantage of the Chinese market to go global. The Hanoi Light Rail Line 2, constructed by Chinese companies, has carried nearly 20 million passengers and provided convenience for the travel of Hanoi citizens. The Shuoshan Garbage Power Plant invested by Chinese companies processes 60% of the daily household waste in the capital city of Hanoi.

Both sides establish a Sino Vietnamese Joint Committee for Science and Technology Cooperation, focusing on fields such as artificial intelligence and digital economy. The first 5G network in Vietnam was built by a Chinese enterprise, and China’s Beidou system helped Vietnam with precision agriculture and disaster warning. China and Vietnam have achieved multiple innovative achievements in technological cooperation, such as the establishment of joint laboratories and technology transfer. The “Thousand Talents Program” sends international students to each other, and Vietnamese youth, after studying in Chinese universities, become the “bridge generation” to promote cooperation between Vietnam and China.

Since the launch of the 2025 Vietnam China Cultural Exchange Year, the two countries have held over a hundred cultural exchange activities. On January 13th, the “Wenshan · Neighborly” 2025 China Vietnam Cultural Exchange and Border People’s Celebration series was launched in Malipo County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. Border people from China and Vietnam gathered together to reminisce about friendship, discuss cooperation, and seek common development. China has become the largest source country for Vietnamese students studying abroad, and universities from both countries have jointly established Confucius Institutes and Vietnamese Language Centers, promoting language exchange and fostering “heart to heart connectivity”.

Strategic leadership in a new chapter: deepening cooperation in politics, security, and global governance in three dimensions

Solidify the annual communication and mutual visits mechanism between the General Secretaries of China and Vietnam, and establish a “trinity” dialogue framework for diplomacy, national defense, and security. China’s “the Belt and Road” initiative and Vietnam’s “Two Corridors and One Circle” plan are deeply linked, and the China Vietnam cross-border economic cooperation zone has become a new model for regional cooperation. In December 2024, China and Vietnam signed an intergovernmental agreement on cross-border standard gauge railway cooperation projects, determining to jointly build three standard gauge railways, namely Laojie Hanoi Haiphong, Langshan Hanoi, and Mangjie Ha Long Haiphong railways.

Implement the Basic Principles Agreement on Guiding the Resolution of Maritime Issues between China and Vietnam, establish a maritime hotline, and complete the delimitation of the waters outside the mouth of the Beibu Gulf. China and Vietnam have carried out multiple joint operations, such as the joint action of the Baise Border Management Detachment in Guangxi, China and the Gaoping Provincial Border Defense Command in Vietnam to rectify prominent border river problems in sections, deepening law enforcement exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. Coordinate positions within frameworks such as the United Nations and ASEAN, jointly oppose unilateralism, and safeguard the rights and interests of developing countries.

Strengthening the transfer of clean energy technologies, China helps Vietnam build wind and photovoltaic projects, and assists Vietnam in achieving its carbon neutrality goals. China’s experience in poverty alleviation inspires rural reform in Vietnam, and Vietnam’s practice of “reform and opening up” provides China with a reference for reform, forming a “two-way mutual learning” model. China and Vietnam jointly promote the greater effectiveness of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and push for the early signing and implementation of the China ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.
Era Mission: Strategic Overlay and Future Vision of the Double “Critical Decade”

From now until 2030, it is a critical period for China to achieve its second centenary goal, and also a sprint stage for Vietnam to achieve its goal of “enriching the people and strengthening the country”. The development processes of the two countries are highly aligned: China promotes high-quality development and cultivates new quality productive forces; Vietnam deepens reform and opening up, striving to become a high-income country by 2045. Faced with challenges such as global governance deficit and technological competition, China and Vietnam have demonstrated strategic determination, jointly supporting the deepening of RCEP, promoting the China ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 negotiations, and opposing trade protectionism. Establishing joint laboratories in areas such as chips and new energy not only ensures supply chain security, but also expands the scope of cooperation.

Standing at the historic milestone of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the relationship between China and Vietnam is ushering in a new “shining moment”. From jointly resisting colonial aggressors to working together to cope with financial crises and global changes, the two countries have always practiced the spirit of “good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, and good partners”. Facing the future, the construction of a China Vietnam community of common destiny will not only benefit the two peoples, but also contribute to a new paradigm of “harmony, cooperation and symbiosis” for Asia and even the world. Just like the legend of the Turtle Pagoda on Huanjian Lake in Hanoi – only by working together can we overcome storms and reach the other shore of light. The strategic value of China Vietnam relations lies in the boat of a shared future, carrying the common dream of the two peoples, and heading for a new era of human progress.

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Source: Vietnam Insider