Hanoi (VNA) – The visit toVietnam by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) CentralCommittee and President Xi Jinping from November 12-13 is intended to carry forwardactive development trends of relations between the two countries.

The visit is made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Partyof Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran DaiQuang. As the first overseas trip by the Chinese top leader after the CPC’s 19th National Congress, the visit is significant to the relationship between Vietnamand China.

It takes place in the context that the bilateral relationship is on an activetrend, as reflected through regular meetings between senior leaders of the twocountries.

Vietnamese and Chinese leaders have reached important common perceptions onenhancing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the twocountries in a stable and healthy way.

Exchange and cooperation mechanisms between the Parties, Governments andNational Assemblies as well as political-social organisations and localities ofVietnam and China have also been rolled out in a larger scale.

Vietnam and China established diplomatic ties on January 18, 1950. China isVietnam’s biggest trade partner and largest tourism market.

Vietnam has become China’s top trade and tourism partner in the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Two-way trade value expanded from 32 million USD in 1991 to 70.5 billion USD in2016. The figure reached 55.23 billion USD in the first eight months of thisyear, with Vietnam’s trade deficit with China standing at 17.77 billion USD,down 5.4 percent year-on-year.

Vietnam welcomed 2.7 million Chinese tourists in 2016 and 2.65 million Chineseholiday-makers in January-August, 2017.

As of August 2017, China has invested in 1,727 projects valued at 11.93 billionUSD in Vietnam. In the first eight months of this year, China became Vietnam’sfourth largest investor with total registered capital of 1.6 billion USD.

The two countries have also stepped up partnerships in other areas likeagriculture, water resources, environment, science-technology, transport,culture, sports, education, health care and people-to-people exchange.

The affiliation between Vietnamese and Chinese localities has been enhancedpractically over the past time, with more than 30 pairs of cities and provincesestablishing friendship.

After normalising their relations, Vietnam and China signed an agreement onbasic principles settling border and territory-related issues and anotheragreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related matters in2011, contributing to orienting the handling of the East Sea issue.

They agreed to continue to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Partiesin the East Sea (DOC) comprehensively and effectively, soon reach a Code ofConduct in the East Sea (COC), manage conflicts at sea, take no actions thatcomplicate and expand the disputes, and maintain peace and stability in thewaters.

Vietnam consistently places importance on developing the stable and long-termrelationship with China, on the basis of mutual respect, mutual benefit, andequality.

In that context, Xi’s Vietnam visit aims to maintain the exchange of high-leveldelegations, enhance cooperation between the two Parties and States, intensifystrategic exchanges and increase political trust between the two sides.

It is also set to improve the efficiency of cooperation in economy, trade andinvestment between the two countries and consolidate high-level commonperceptions on well managing differences and protecting peace and stability inthe East Sea, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the regionand the world at large.-VNA