75 Years of China-Vietnam relations: Building on past achievements and opening up a new future
WVR - On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnamese diplomatic sector, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei contributed an article to The World and Vietnam Report, sharing his views on Vietnamese diplomacy and reflecting on the 75-year journey of China–Vietnam cooperation. The World and Vietnam Report is honoured to present the full text of the article.
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| General Secretary To Lam and General Secretary, President of China Xi Jinping witness the display of cooperation documents between the two countries during a state visit to Vietnam in April 2025. (Source: VGP) |
The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the 80th anniversary of the founding of Vietnam’s diplomatic service. On this historic occasion, I extend my heartfelt congratulations. Over the past 80 years, Vietnam’s diplomacy has steadfastly upheld the spirit of independence and self-reliance. With extraordinary wisdom and unwavering perseverance, it has advanced Party diplomacy, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy.
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| Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
From the heroic journey of national liberation and reunification to renewal, opening-up, and international integration, Vietnam’s diplomacy has made vital contributions to the cause of the Communist Party and the State of Vietnam, while also playing a significant role in promoting peace and stability in the world.
The great 80-year journey of Vietnam’s diplomacy stands as a vivid testament to the nation’s deep international integration and its enduring commitment to shared global development. To date, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 194 countries, forged Strategic Partnerships and Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships with 38 countries and become an important member of more than 70 international and regional organizations. These milestones reflect Viet Nam’s role as an active participant, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community.
China and Vietnam are both socialist countries under the leadership of the Communist Party. The two countries have consistently supported each other and advanced side by side in the pursuit of socialism tailored to their respective national realities while promoting national modernization.
Through years of practical engagement and extensive exchanges, China and Vietnam have jointly cultivated highly compatible foreign policy approaches, which not only lay a solid foundation for the healthy and sustainable development of bilateral relations but also contribute “Asian wisdom” to building a new type of international relations.
Placing people at the heart of development has long been a source of enduring strength for both China and Vietnam. The people are the architects of history and the fundamental force determining the future and destiny of the Party and the State. Looking at the overall course of development and the remarkable achievements of both China and Vietnam, the fundamental reason of the vitality of each country’s diplomatic endeavors through the flames of revolution and the new era is that they have always stayed close to the people, kept them at heart, and worked to deliver real benefits to them.
It is precisely thanks to the support and assistance of their peoples that China and Vietnam have been able to advance side by side, forging a special friendship of being “both comrades and brothers,” and becoming a model of solidarity and cooperation among socialist countries.
Upholding independence and self-reliance is also a distinctive shared tradition of China and Vietnam. An independent and self-reliant foreign policy is a profound summary drawn by both countries from their century-long struggles and an inevitable choice based on an accurate assessment of historical conditions and development trends. Both countries once endured the suffering of colonialism and therefore deeply cherish their hard-won national independence.
From the outset, China has consistently adhered to an independent foreign policy of peace, promoting the basic norms of international relations with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence at its core. Vietnam has likewise remained steadfast in safeguarding national independence, properly balancing national and international interests, and maintaining strategic resilience amid a turbulent international landscape.
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| General Secretary To Lam and Chinese Ambassador He Wei plant a "Vietnam-China Cultural Exchange" tree in the Vietnam-China Friendship Palace courtyard on March 20, 2025. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Upholding fairness and justice is the shared responsibility of China and Vietnam in this era. Fairness and justice are the common aspirations of peoples around the world, as well as the joint responsibility of China and Vietnam as responsible nations.
As two important developing countries in the Asia–Pacific, emerging market economies, and members of the Global South, both sides are firmly committed to defending the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law. They advocate a multipolar world that is equal and orderly, and economic globalization that is inclusive and beneficial to all; oppose unilateralism and protectionism in all forms; and make important contributions to building a new type of international relations and advancing the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Persistently pursuing mutual benefit and win–win cooperation is a shared value embraced by both China and Vietnam. History has repeatedly proven that openness and cooperation have become the trend of the times, and mutual benefit and win–win outcomes are the common aspiration of all peoples. Both China and Vietnam adhere to openness to the outside world, regard each other’s development as an important opportunity for their own growth, promote deeper alignment of their development strategies, and actively integrate into the global economic system. Today, China and Vietnam are continuously creating new opportunities for global development through their fresh achievements in modernization. China’s contribution to global economic growth has remained around 30% for many years, while Vietnam consistently ranks among the world’s top 20 destinations for foreign direct investment. Together, the vast markets of China and Vietnam have become fertile ground for enterprises from across the globe.
Looking back on the past to chart the course for the future, and staying on the right path to advance further—at a time when the world is undergoing profound and unprecedented changes unseen in a century, with intertwined challenges and risks—China and Vietnam, as a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, must all the more remain true to their original aspirations, keep their mission firmly in mind, and draw forward-looking wisdom from the rich diplomatic practices of both countries. By upholding common ideals to address global challenges, and pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation to tackle the issues of our time, we will jointly write a new chapter in building a China–Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, thereby making fresh and greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
May the cause of Vietnam’s diplomacy, inheriting the past and opening up the future, shine ever more brilliantly!
May the friendship between China and Vietnam stay evergreen and endure for generations to come!
