Bridging Histories, Building Futures

This year is the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam, a milestone that presents a pivotal opportunity for both countries and their ruling parties to reflect on the past and chart a course for the future.

At this juncture, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping undertook a state visit to Vietnam on April 14-15. This was Xi’s fourth visit to this Southeast Asian neighbor in his dual capacity and his first international trip following the Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries, which was held in Beijing on April 8-9. At the conference, Xi called for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries.

The key strategic exchange between the top leaders of the two parties came less than a year after General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam visited China last August. Xi’s trip underscored China’s strong commitment to advancing bilateral ties.

Strengthening communication

The strategic direction and high-level guidance provided by the top leaders of both parties and both countries represent the greatest advantage and the most crucial political foundation for the continued development of China-Vietnam relations.

The year 2025 is pivotal for both nations. For China, it will see the full implementation of the decisions made at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. The meeting, held in Beijing last July, adopted a plan for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization, which consists of more than 300 reform tasks to be completed in the next five years. This year is also the target year for achieving the objectives and tasks laid down in the 14th Five-Year Plan, a comprehensive strategy for national economic and social development from 2021 to 2025. For Viet Nam, it is a critical period of institutional streamlining and preparation for the 14th CPV National Congress. Both countries are tackling similar challenges in pushing forward reform and modernization.

Against this backdrop of shared aspirations for development and revitalization, Xi’s visit further solidified political mutual trust between the two parties and the two nations. It deepened party-to-party exchange on governance, enhanced bilateral coordination and cooperation in upholding socialist ideals, aligned the strategic visions of the two countries and harmonized their development paths. The visit gave fresh momentum to the socialist cause of China and Vietnam in a world undergoing profound and unprecedented transformation.

Elevating trade ties

Economic and trade cooperation has long served as the “adhesive” and “stabilizer” of China-Vietnam relations. In recent years, bilateral trade has steadily expanded, surpassing $200 billion for four consecutive years as of 2024. China has been Vietnam’s largest trading partner for over two decades and remains the top export market for Vietnamese agricultural products, playing a key role in supporting Vietnam’s industrial transformation and rural revitalization.

Amid shifting global dynamics, such as Washington’s implementation of so-called “reciprocal tariffs” causing severe disruptions to global production and supply chains, China and Vietnam are rapidly expanding cooperation in a broad range of sectors. These include standard-gauge rail connection, agricultural trade, AI, the green economy and scientific and technological innovation. This growing momentum aligns with To Lam’s vision of an “era of national rise,” Viet Nam’s comprehensive strategy emphasizing economic development, strategic partnerships and enhanced global influence. At the same time, it reinforces China’s efforts to deepen regional cooperation and build a community with a shared future with neighboring countries.

During Xi’s latest visit, more than 40 cooperation agreements between China and Vietnam were signed, spanning rail connectivity, technology, trade and culture, delivering tangible outcomes. The two sides also reached consensus on key global economic issues, including opposing protectionism, promoting regional multilateral trade and enhancing the resilience of supply chains.

Boosting connectivity

The swift advancement of China-Vietnam economic ties is closely linked to improved connectivity, especially in cross-border logistics. In late 2023, during Xi’s previous visit to Vietnam, the two countries reached a consensus on the development of three cross-border standard-gauge railway projects. Since then, Vietnamese railway and transport officials have frequently engaged with their Chinese counterparts, resulting in a series of cooperative agreements.

Most notably, the National Assembly, Vietnam’s top legislature, has approved the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway project, slated to begin construction by the end of 2025 and to be completed by 2030. The line stretches from Vietnam’s northern port city Hai Phong to Lao Cai, which borders China’s Yunnan Province.

Meanwhile, major infrastructure work for the Chinese section of the China-Vietnam Friendship Pass smart port in Pingxiang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the first cross-border smart port between the two countries, is nearing completion.

These projects, once operational, are expected to greatly enhance logistics efficiency, lower business costs, reinforce supply chain linkages and deepen cooperation in trade, tourism and cultural exchange. Xi’s visit is anticipated to further accelerate these initiatives and inject new momentum into the ongoing China-Vietnam connectivity agenda.

Stronger cultural foundations

This year is also the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, officially launched by Xi and To Lam during their phone call on January 15.

This initiative not only underscores the high-level commitment to people-to-people exchange but also serves as a key step in advancing the China-Vietnam community with a shared future. In recent years, both countries have actively engaged in diverse cultural, educational, tourism, sports, youth and local exchange programs, yielding tangible results and fostering deep emotional resonance between their peoples. As part of the Year of People-to-People Exchanges, both sides are set to host more activities designed to bring two peoples together and strengthen mutual understanding.

Xi’s visit ignited a new wave of cultural engagement, including commemorations of the historic friendship, meetings with representatives of the China-Vietnam people friendship festival and a grand gathering of Chinese and Vietnamese youth. These efforts helped deepen cross-cultural awareness and foster stronger bonds between the people, thereby reinforcing public support for bilateral ties and invigorating the shared commitment to building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

Amid a rapidly evolving global landscape, Xi’s visit not only breathed new life into China-Vietnam relations but also played a guiding role in safeguarding and promoting regional peace and stability. It is poised to open a new chapter of jointly building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

The author is a research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies of the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences.