CGTN published an article highlighting how China’s leadership fosters mutual political trust with Vietnamese leaders and how the two countries continue to strengthen their bilateral ties through economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Above the busy streets of Hanoi, a modern trace cuts through the sky: Hanoi Metro Line 2A, a symbol of China-Vietnam friendship. Built by Chinese companies, this elevated rail line connects the city’s heart to its suburbs and is Vietnam’s first urban light rail project.

The 13-kilometer line, featuring 12 elevated stations has reduced travel time from 90 minutes to just 23, greatly easing congestion and improving mobility for the city’s residents. By April 2025, it had carried over 35 million passengers, contributing to job creation, reducing pollution and further strengthening ties between China and Vietnam.

“The China-Vietnam community with a shared future is rooted in our fruitful cooperation,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a signed article on Monday before he landed in Hanoi where he started his fourth state visit to the country.

When meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam, Xi emphasized that China-Vietnam cooperation, amid the turbulent time, has brought valuable stability and certainty to the world.

China and Vietnam: “Comrades and brothers”

China and Vietnam have been maintaining close high-level exchanges, charting the blueprint for bilateral ties.

In 2015, he visited Vietnam for the first time as the general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president. His most recent visit was in 2023, when the two nations jointly announced the establishment of a strategic China-Vietnam community with a shared future, lifting bilateral relations to a new stage.

Last year, following his election as general secretary of the CPV Central Committee and then president, To Lam’s first state visit was to China, where he reflected the high regard both sides have for their relationship.

The bond between China and Vietnam dates back to their shared revolutionary past, where the two countries stood side by side as “comrades and brothers” when they struggled against colonialism and imperialism.

Xi’s trip this year coincides with the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, which is expected to further strengthen the already deep political trust between the two nations.

Flourishing trade and economic cooperation

The political trust between China and Vietnam has laid the foundation for thriving trade and cultural exchanges.

According to Chinese customs data, bilateral trade between China and Vietnam surpassed $260 billion in 2024, with China maintaining its position as Vietnam’s largest trading partner for over two decades. The trade volume between the two countries accounted for nearly a third of Vietnam’s total trade volume in 2024.

In particular, Vietnam’s agricultural products are highly favored by Chinese consumers, with durian emerging as a key example. Since 2022, Vietnamese durians have seen a sharp increase in exports, benefiting hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese farmers. From January to October 2024, China imported 692,500 tons of Vietnamese fresh durian, valued at 19.5 billion yuan (about $2.67 billion).

Additionally, Vietnam is a popular destination for Chinese investment overseas. According to Vietnamese statistics, China’s direct investment in Vietnam totaled $4.47 billion in 2023. By the end of the year, the total stock of China’s direct investment in Vietnam had reached $27.82 billion.

Xi stressed on Monday that China and Vietnam must continue to pursue win-win cooperation and deepen development strategies to create more benefits for the two peoples.

“China welcomes more quality Vietnamese products in the Chinese market and encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Vietnam,” said Xi.

Cultural exchanges boost mutual understanding

Beyond trade and investment, China and Vietnam have also seen an explosion in cultural exchange and tourism.

In 2024, over 3.7 million Chinese tourists visited Vietnam, making China the top source of international visitors, and the two countries’ first cross-border tourism cooperation project: the the Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall also officially opened, providing a model for future cross-border collaboration.

Besides, Chinese entertainment and pop culture have become a significant part of Vietnamese youth culture. According to a survey by CGTN, 75.9 percent of Vietnamese respondents report regularly engaging with Chinese music, films, TV shows and games. Additionally, 86.7 percent of respondents said that using Chinese social media applications helped them better understand China.

“Over the years, Chinese and Vietnamese peoples have engaged more people-to-people exchanges and fostered increasingly closer ties,” Xi said. He expressed his hope that the younger generations could continue to enhance cultural exchanges and pass the enduring friendship from one generation to the next.

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