At the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Su Lin and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Liang Qiang, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Vietnam from April 14th to 15th. On the eve of the visit, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pha Thien Thanh said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency that in recent years, Vietnam China relations have achieved strong, comprehensive, and significant development in multiple fields. He looks forward to General Secretary Xi Jinping and President Xi Jinping's visit becoming a new milestone in Vietnam China friendly neighbor relations, comprehensive strategic partnership, and a strategically significant Vietnam China community of shared future. On April 11th, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pei Qingshan was interviewed by Xinhua News Agency in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Rui, photographed by Pei Qingshan, said that this is the fourth state visit of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the President to Vietnam. This visit, less than a year after General Secretary Su Lin's visit to China, is an important diplomatic and political event between the two parties and countries. It has strategic significance and will have a long-term impact on the development of Vietnam China relations. Vietnamese party and state leaders are looking forward to this visit very much. Pei Qingshan said that this visit will further strengthen high-level strategic communication, consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust, share national governance and development experience, and provide direction for the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations in the current complex and unpredictable regional and international situation. At the same time, the two sides will also confirm the direction and focus of cooperation in various fields, improve the level of practical cooperation between the two countries, and create high-level cooperation highlights in areas where Vietnam has needs and China has advantages, such as standard gauge railways, agricultural products trade, science and technology, education and training, digital economy, green economy, etc., to meet the development aspirations and interests of the two peoples. It is expected that during this visit, various departments and localities of both sides will sign cooperation documents covering multiple fields. Pei Qingshan believes that this visit will have a positive effect, which will be transmitted to all levels, departments, and industries of both sides, including promoting the implementation of the 2025 Vietnam China Cultural Exchange Year, strengthening friendly exchanges between mass organizations and social and political organizations, expanding local cooperation between the two countries, thereby enhancing mutual understanding and trust, promoting traditional friendship, and consolidating the public opinion foundation of friendship between the two countries. In addition, both sides will adhere to the spirit of honesty, sincerity, pragmatism, and mutual understanding, better manage and resolve maritime disputes in accordance with high-level consensus, and contribute to maintaining regional and global peace, stability, and development. Pei Qingshan said that since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries in 2008, especially after the historic visits between the top leaders of Vietnam and China in recent years, bilateral relations have achieved strong, comprehensive, and significant development in multiple fields. This is reflected in four aspects: firstly, through frequent high-level visits and contacts at the bilateral and multilateral levels, political mutual trust has been strengthened. During General Secretary Su Lin's visit to China in August 2024, both sides agreed to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, promote the construction of a strategically significant Vietnam China community with a shared future, add momentum to the positive development of bilateral relations, generate strong spillover effects on various levels and fields of both sides, create a warm and pragmatic atmosphere of cooperation, and promote more substantive achievements in various fields. The second is the strong development of cooperation between the two countries in areas such as economy, trade, investment, and infrastructure connectivity. Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in ASEAN and the fourth largest trading partner in the world. Vietnam and China have jointly formulated the plan for the Laojie Hanoi Haiphong railway, aiming to start construction of the railway line by 2025. In addition, the planning of Mangjie Xialong Haiphong Railway and Tongdeng Hanoi Railway will be completed in 2026 to further facilitate personnel exchanges between the two countries and promote the development of trade in goods. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the leaders of the two countries jointly announced the launch of the Vietnam China Cultural Exchange Year in January this year, injecting new vitality into people to people, cultural, and tourism exchanges between the two countries. Currently, there are about 24000 Vietnamese students studying in China, which is double the number five years ago. In the field of tourism, China continues to be the largest tourist source country for Vietnam. Fourthly, both sides should properly manage and handle their differences, and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. Based on the Basic Principles Agreement for Guiding the Resolution of Maritime Issues between Vietnam and China signed in 2011 and relevant intergovernmental negotiation mechanisms, the two sides have maintained frequent communication, timely resolved and controlled differences, and achieved many positive results, especially in cooperation in low sensitivity areas at sea. On April 11th, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pei Qingshan was interviewed by Xinhua News Agency in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Rui, photographed by Pei Qingshan, said that launching the Vietnam China Cultural Exchange Year is an important measure to elevate bilateral relations to a community of shared future with strategic significance. This is an important opportunity for both sides to revisit the "deep friendship between Vietnam and China, comrades plus brothers" friendship created and carefully cultivated by the older generation of leaders of the two parties and countries, such as Chairman Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong, laying a solid foundation for Vietnam China neighborly friendship and comprehensive cooperation. Pei Qingshan said that the Year of People to People Exchange is an important driving force and valuable opportunity for deepening cooperation in cultural, educational, tourism and other fields between the two sides. The two sides will work together to carry out extensive friendly exchange activities, enhance comprehensive understanding of each other among people from all walks of life in the two countries, and especially enable the younger generation of the two countries to inherit and promote the precious wealth of traditional friendship. The Year of Cultural Exchange is also a catalyst and adhesive for deepening cooperation between the two sides, promoting exchanges and cooperation between various levels, departments, localities, and groups of the two countries, promoting the implementation of high-level consensus and cooperation agreements between the two parties and countries, continuously achieving more substantive results, and making positive contributions to the prosperity and strength of the two countries. At the same time, it can further consolidate the public opinion foundation of friendship between the two countries, create a positive and trusting atmosphere, facilitate effective management of differences, properly resolve problems, and inject positive energy into maintaining regional and global peace, stability, and development. (New Society)