Hanoi (VNA) - China is ready to work with Vietnam to ever cherish the bilateral long-standing friendship and common mission, said General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping.

The top Chinese leader made the statement right after arriving at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on April 14 noon, beginning his two-day state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and State President Luong Cuong.

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) respectfully introduces a translation of the statement:

“It gives me great pleasure to begin my fourth state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Comrade To Lam and President of Vietnam Comrade Luong Cuong. Upon my arrival in Hanoi, I wish to extend, on behalf of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese government and the Chinese people, warm greetings and best wishes to the brotherly CPV, Vietnamese government and Vietnamese people.

This year marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPV, the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (which is now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South. The CPV is rallying and leading the Vietnamese people to march toward the Two Centenary Goals of the Party and the country. Vietnam is achieving a steady rise in people’s living standards, greater international and regional influence, and encouraging results in its socialist industrialisation and modernisation drive. The Chinese side is truly delighted to see all of this. I believe that under the strong leadership of the CPV Central Committee headed by Comrade To Lam, Vietnam will surely advance along the socialist path suited to its national conditions, accomplish all tasks set at the 13th CPV National Congress, prepare for a successful 14th CPV National Congress, and break new ground in the cause of the Party and the country.

China and Vietnam are socialist neighbours connected by mountains and rivers, and we are a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. In our tumultuous struggle for national independence and liberation, our two sides fought shoulder to shoulder, supported each other, and formed “a deep friendship between not just two brothers, but also two comrades.” In the course of seeking the socialist path suited to our national conditions, our two sides learn from each other and forge ahead hand in hand, demonstrating to the world the bright prospects of the socialist system. During my state visit to Vietnam in 2023, the two sides announced that we would build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. That decision steered the relations between our two parties and two countries into a new phase.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-Vietnam diplomatic ties and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, which bring new opportunities to the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future. Standing at this new starting point, China is ready to work with Vietnam to ever cherish our long-standing friendship and common mission, seize the opportunities of the times, carry out cooperation against higher standards, in more areas and in greater depth, and deliver more benefits to our two peoples, the region and the world at large. During this visit, I will have in-depth exchanges of views with Vietnamese leaders and comrades on overarching and strategic issues critical to the direction of the relations between our two parties and countries and on international and regional issues of mutual interest, and we will jointly draw up a new blueprint for building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

May Vietnam enjoy prosperity and its people happiness!

ꦛMay the China-Vietnam traditional friendship be passed from generation to generation and the China-Vietnam community with a shared futurℱe that carries strategic significance make new and greater progress!”