That China-Vietnam relations are based on a solid foundation was evident at the 11th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, which the two countries co-chaired in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Sunday.
They also pledged to expand and deepen cooperation, and reiterated that they attach great importance to their long-standing friendship and high-level exchanges for long-term and strategic development, especially since 2017, which has led to practical cooperation in dealing with maritime disputes.
On the economic front, China has been Vietnam's largest trade partner for 13 consecutive years, and among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations members, Vietnam is China's largest trade partner. China is also the largest export market for Vietnam. In the first half of 2018, Vietnam's exports to China increased 37.4 percent, improving its trade imbalance with China.
Cultural and people-to-people exchanges, too, have expanded. More than 10 million trips have been recorded between China and Vietnam, with 4 million Chinese tourists visiting Vietnam (accounting for the largest proportion of tourists) and over 2 million Vietnamese tourists traveling to China.
But China-Vietnam relations also face challenges, for instance, because of the unilateral and protectionist policies of some countries, which have created uncertainties worldwide. US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy is apparently aimed at undermining the world order by launching tariff wars against other countries and breaking international rules at will. The United States is trying to create trouble in the South China Sea, too, by driving a wedge between China and Vietnam. By doing so, Washington has challenged not only the Beijing-Hanoi friendship but also the mutual interest of the two countries.
Washington should realize that it's not easy to break the long-standing friendship between China and Vietnam. Both are socialist countries with similar institutions and course of development, and have a shared future. But given the increasing geopolitical challenges, China and Vietnam should strengthen cooperation and hold in-depth talks on overall bilateral and strategic issues. They should also work together to promote multilateralism and defend the world order.
The two countries also have similar opportunities, and face similar challenges of reform and opening-up. China has entered a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Vietnam, on its part, has reached a critical point in its socialist construction and reform. Given these similarities, the two sides should further deepen cooperation, and strengthen mutual trust and strategic communication. And to add momentum to the development of socialism, the two countries would do well to dovetail the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative to Vietnam's "two corridors and one ring" initiative and build a cross-border economic cooperation area.
It is expected that China and Vietnam will hold high-level talks to reach a consensus on how to control bilateral disputes as well as maintain peace in the South China Sea, where the two countries should make more joint efforts to develop maritime resources.
Considering the sound foundation of mutual trust, Beijing and Hanoi can seize the opportunities offered by a fast changing world to push the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership steadily forward for the benefit of the peoples of both countries, and to maintain regional peace and facilitate prosperity.
The author is a professor at China (Kunming) Academy of South and Southeast Asian Studies.