BEIJING – In a high-profile diplomatic meeting that underscores the deepening strategic alignment between the two neighboring socialist nations, Chinese President Xi Jinping laid out a clear roadmap for expanded China-Vietnam collaboration during talks with Vietnam’s newly inaugurated President To Lam on Wednesday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
To Lam’s four-day visit to China, which launched on Tuesday, marks his first international travel since winning the presidential election just one week prior. This milestone trip sends a strong signal of Vietnam’s foreign policy priorities, highlighting the Communist Party-led government’s commitment to forging closer bilateral ties with its northern neighbor.
During the closed-door discussions, President Xi emphasized that protecting the socialist system and upholding the ruling status of the Communist Party in both nations stands as the two parties’ most significant shared strategic interest. He added that the two sides should maintain unwavering confidence in their respective development paths and governing systems, and stay committed to advancing reform without deviating from core strategic direction.
Looking ahead to practical cooperation, Xi called for Beijing and Hanoi to place top priority on advancing cross-border infrastructure connectivity projects. Beyond traditional areas of collaboration, he pushed for deeper joint work in high-growth emerging sectors, including artificial intelligence and semiconductor development.
For his part, To Lam reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to the bilateral relationship, noting that expanding ties with China meets Vietnam’s development objectives and represents a clear strategic priority for Hanoi. The Vietnamese president added that his country stands ready to elevate cooperation across a broad range of key areas, spanning cross-border trade, direct investment, railway development and other core infrastructure projects, according to CCTV’s official coverage.