Vietnam's Top Leader Meeting Xi Jinping: "Relationship with China is Top Priority"

China Shows Off Cooperative Relationship with the US through Grand Hospitality

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyun-jung] Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the top-ranking power figure of allied Vietnam and pledged strategic coordination and mutual cooperation. Through his first summit diplomacy in his third term, he showcased a solid relationship with Vietnam to counter the United States, while also achieving results in detailed cooperation areas such as defense and trade.

According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 2nd, Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, stated during the meeting with President Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the 31st of last month that the relationship with China is the "top priority" of Vietnam's foreign policy. The Post reported that General Secretary Trong said, "We will cooperate with China to avoid maritime disputes that affect the overall development of bilateral relations," and that Vietnam would neither allow the construction of foreign military bases nor cooperate with other countries in this regard.

However, the joint agreement published the same day in the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, did not include such content. Instead, the two countries agreed that "the traditional friendship of 'comradeship and brotherhood' is a precious asset that must be inherited," and emphasized that "we must uphold socialism and demonstrate the superiority and bright prospects of the socialist system," reaffirming their status as political allies.

The agreement stated that the world situation is undergoing profound, complex, and unpredictable historical changes, and regarding defense cooperation, it mentioned promoting exchanges and cooperation through "border defense friendly exchanges, defense and security consultations, joint maritime patrols in the Beibu Gulf, and exchanges via the defense hotline."

Regarding the Taiwan issue, Vietnam clearly stated that it "firmly adheres to the One-China policy and opposes any form of Taiwan independence separatism," and "consistently supports the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and will not develop official relations with Taiwan." General Secretary Trong also emphasized his support for the One-China policy during a meeting with Premier Li Keqiang the day after his meeting with President Xi. Additionally, cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, reduction of trade imbalances, scientific and technological cooperation, and promotion of friendly exchanges between peoples were mentioned in the statement.

Some interpretations suggest that certain statements about ensuring maritime issues do not hinder the development of bilateral relations reflect positions on the South China Sea island sovereignty disputes. Chinese military expert Song Zhongping told the Post, "If problems arise between China and Vietnam, they escalate into South China Sea sovereignty issues," and predicted that "while maintaining stable bilateral relations, Vietnam, whose regional influence has grown due to the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, will maintain neutrality."

However, he viewed that despite China's grand hospitality and coverage of Vietnam's top leader, if conflicts arise between China and the U.S. in the Taiwan Strait, Vietnam would not choose either side. Unlike the Philippines or Singapore, Vietnam has no military alliances with the U.S. or any Western country, so it is expected to continue its existing international relations policy of "Four Nos": ▲not joining military alliances, ▲not siding with any particular country, ▲not allowing other countries to use its territory for military base construction or military activities, and ▲opposing the use of force.