Beijing, August 19, 2024, The Europe Today: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm, accompanied by his wife and a high-ranking delegation, paid a visit to the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing on Sunday evening. During the visit, he met with embassy staff, representatives of the Vietnamese community, and Vietnamese students residing in China.
At the gathering, Vietnamese Ambassador Phạm Sao Mai provided President Tô Lâm with an overview of the embassy’s recent activities, the current state of Việt Nam-China relations, and the situation of the Vietnamese community in China.
In his remarks, General Secretary and President Tô Lâm highlighted the significance of this visit, marking his first official trip to China in his new capacity. The visit was made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping, and his wife.
The visit follows two historic trips by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng to China in 2022. Nguyễn Phú Trọng was the first foreign leader invited by China for an official visit following the 20th National Congress of the CPC. Additionally, Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping visited Việt Nam in December last year, further cementing the strong ties between the two nations.
President Tô Lâm emphasized that his visit aims to engage in high-level discussions with President Xi and other key Chinese leaders. The discussions will focus on advancing and elevating the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Việt Nam and China. This partnership, he noted, is strategically significant for both countries, serving the interests of their peoples and contributing to regional and global peace, cooperation, and development.
Việt Nam, President Tô Lâm affirmed, highly values its relationship with China and prioritizes its development.
Commending the Vietnamese community in China for their efforts in fostering the Việt Nam-China friendship, the President urged them to continue contributing to diplomacy, trade, academic research, and integration into the local society. He expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Embassy would further enhance the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms between the two countries and propose new initiatives that align with the specific conditions of both nations. These initiatives should adhere to international law and promote peace and development, while also strengthening bilateral relations through people-to-people exchanges.
President Tô Lâm reiterated that the Vietnamese Party and State consider overseas Vietnamese communities, including those in China, as an integral part of the nation’s unity. He assured that the State is committed to providing all necessary support to Vietnamese citizens living abroad.
In his closing remarks, President Tô Lâm expressed his hope that the Vietnamese community in China would remain united, support one another in their endeavors, comply with local laws, and contribute positively to the development of their host country. At the same time, he encouraged them to maintain a strong connection with their homeland.
Earlier in the day, President Tô Lâm, along with his wife and the Vietnamese delegation, paid tribute to President Hồ Chí Minh by laying a wreath at his statue on the embassy’s campus.
