Wedoany.com Report on Mar 19th, Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, and Bùi Thanh Sơn, Deputy Prime Minister of the Vietnamese Government, jointly presided over this high-profile high-level dialogue. This meeting was not only a significant review of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries but also sent a strong signal of deepening cooperation in key areas such as railway connectivity.
High-Level Consensus: Consolidating Strategic Mutual Trust and Expanding Practical Cooperation
Both sides agreed that China-Vietnam relations have maintained a good momentum of development since the 16th meeting in December 2024. Minister Wang Yi pointed out that the start of China's "15th Five-Year Plan" coincides with Vietnam's initial year of implementing the resolutions of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, providing a new historical opportunity for bilateral cooperation. He emphasized the importance of expanding the breadth of practical cooperation, specifically highlighting the advancement of railway connectivity.
The Vietnamese side also demonstrated a positive willingness to deepen cooperation. Deputy Prime Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn congratulated China on its achievements in economic and social development and clearly stated that Vietnam consistently regards China as the top priority and strategic choice in its foreign policy. Both sides agreed to continue leveraging the coordinating role of the Steering Committee, focusing on the overall goal of the "six mores" for China-Vietnam relations, to continuously elevate the construction of a strategically significant China-Vietnam community with a shared future to new heights.
Core Focus: Three Cross-border Railways Prioritized on the Agenda
At this meeting, infrastructure connectivity, particularly railway cooperation, became a focal point of discussion.
Deputy Prime Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn explicitly proposed that both sides should "attach great importance to railway cooperation and advance and complete the construction of three China-Vietnam cross-border standard-gauge railways as soon as possible."
These three railways are specifically referred to as: the Lào Cai-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng Railway, the Lạng Sơn-Hà Nội Railway, and the Móng Cái-Hạ Long-Hải Phòng Railway. These projects are not only "people-benefiting projects" to accelerate the connectivity of transportation infrastructure between the two countries but are also seen as important components of the Pan-Asian Railway Eastern Corridor.
The Vietnamese side hopes that China can provide comprehensive support for these projects, including concessional loan rates, technology transfer, and railway personnel training. In response, Minister Wang Yi gave a positive reply, stating that China will actively advance cooperation on the three railway projects and strengthen support in terms of funding, technology, and personnel training. This marks a potential acceleration of substantial progress for related projects following the signing of the intergovernmental agreement on cross-border standard-gauge railway cooperation projects in December 2024.
Blueprint for Cooperation: Comprehensive Integration Beyond Railways
In the economic and trade sector, China remains Vietnam's largest trading partner, and Vietnam is China's fourth-largest trading partner. Both sides agreed to expand market access for Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products to China and strengthen standards alignment. Regarding investment, China encourages its enterprises to expand investment in Vietnam, while Vietnam hopes to promote high-quality, high-tech investment cooperation.
In the border and energy sectors, both sides agreed to strengthen energy infrastructure and border port construction, including enhancing Vietnam's capacity and supply security for importing electricity from China, and expanding the "Smart Port" model. People-to-people exchanges will also intensify, with both sides planning to launch activities related to the 2026-2027 Vietnam-China Tourism Cooperation Year as early as possible and increase the number of scholarships China provides to Vietnamese students.
Special Context: Unprecedented "3+3" Strategic Dialogue
This meeting of the Bilateral Cooperation Steering Committee was held within a framework of greater strategic depth. Just before the meeting, the first ministerial-level meeting of the China-Vietnam "3+3" Strategic Dialogue Mechanism involving foreign affairs, defense, and public security was successfully held in Hanoi.
This is the first such mechanism of its kind globally and has been interpreted by outside observers as a sign that political mutual trust between the two countries has reached a new height.
Minister Wang Yi stated in a post-meeting interview that this mechanism is "a strategic communication platform jointly created by China and Vietnam, a first of its kind in the world," sending a clear signal to the outside world that China and Vietnam are joining hands to defend the security of their political systems and jointly pursue national development and rejuvenation.
From the "3+3" Strategic Dialogue to the Bilateral Cooperation Steering Committee meeting, China-Vietnam relations are demonstrating a comprehensive and multi-level deepening trend, ranging from high-level strategic communication to practical cooperation in various fields.
