Beijing (VNA) – Despitethe COVID-19 pandemic, the development trend in Vietnam - China relations havestill been sustai𓆉ned, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sa🧸o Mai.

The diplomat made the remarkduring an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China (July 1). He said the COVID-19 pandemichas strongly affected cooperation among all countries around the world, andVietnam and China are no exception. Prior to the outbreak, Partyand State leaders of the two countries frequently paid mutual visits whiledirect exchanges between the Parties, governments, parliaments, the VietnamFatherland Front and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference,ministries, sectors, localities, and socio-political organisations took placeconstantly. The coronavirus pandemic hasinterrupted direct meetings and activities, tourism, aviation, andpeople-to-people exchange. However, those difficulties are just temporary, andthe potential and demand for bilateral cooperation remain huge, Mai noted. Braving the pandemic-causeddifficulties, with both sides’ resolve, goodwill, and common efforts, theVietnamese and Chinese Parties, countries, and peoples have taken proactive andcreative actions to minimise the epidemic’s negative impacts. As a result, thedevelopment trend in political relations has been maintained, economic andtrade ties have enjoyed impressive growth, and cooperation in the COVID-19fight has been carried out effectively. The ambassador elaboratedthat high-level meetings have been organised in a flexible manner and politicaltrust enhanced. For the first time since the normalisation of their ties in1991, within less than half a year after a National Congress of the CommunistParty of Vietnam, the top Party, State, Government, and parliamentary leadersof the countries have conducted many phone talks, reaching many importantcommon perceptions about the intensification of the Vietnam - Chinacomprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new context. Economic and trade links remain a bright spot, he said, citing data as showingthat in 2020, China continued to be the largest trading partner of Vietnam,which in turn ranked first in ASEAN and fourth in the world among tradingpartners of China. Vietnam’s statistics showthat bilateral trade topped 133.09 billion USD in 2020 and hit 64.04 billionUSD in the first five months of 2021, respectively rising 13.8 percent and 44.3percent year on year. China registered 1.08 billionUSD for 61 new investment projects in Vietnam between January and April thisyear, standing fourth among 67 countries and territories investing in thelatter during the period. With 3,192 valid projects worth 19.63 billion USD intotal, it currently ranks seventh among 140 countries and territories investingin Vietnam. Meanwhile, Mai added, cooperationin the COVID-19 combat has obtained substantive results. The two sides havebeen assisted each other with medical supplies at all the State, locality, andenterprise levels. China also recently providedVietnam with 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and pledged to continue the vaccineprovision via flexible forms so as to help the latter bring the pandemic undercontrol soon, he said. Besides, bilateral coordinationat multilateral forums has been strengthened, and China has promised furthersupport for Vietnam to fulfil the role of a non-permanent member of the UNSecurity Council for 2020 - 2021. The two countries agreed to joinefforts to satisfactorily settle the outstanding problems in their relations,the diplomat remarked, noting that Chinese leaders affirmed the importance theyattach to trade and investment ties with Vietnam and also expressed their wishto develop the neighbourliness and friendship in a substantive and effectivemanner to generate practical benefits for both peoples. Regarding sea-related issues,the two sides agreed on the need to have good control of disagreements,satisfactorily deal with issues in line with international law, including the1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), so as to contribute toregional peace and stability, and promote the building of an effective andsubstantive Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea, Mai said. He held that in the timeahead, the countries’ relevant agencies should push ahead with effectivelyimplementing the important common perceptions reached by their senior leaders,increase high-level meetings, gradually resume aviation, tourism, andpeople-to-people exchange on the basis of anti-pandemic requirements, and fostereconomic, trade, and investment ties in a more balanced, stable, andsustainable manner. The ambassador voiced hisbelief that thanks to the existing cooperation foundation and joint efforts byboth sides, the Vietnam - China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnershipwill make greater strides in the time to come./.