Delegates at the meeting (Photo: hcmcpv.org.vn)
So said Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh city’s Vietnam – China Friendship Association Duong Quan Ha during a meeting held by the association in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh city Union of Friendship Organizations (HUFO) on September 30 to mark the 71st anniversary of the Chinese National Day (October 1).
According to Mr. Ha, the two sides have regularly exchanged on specific issues for sustainably developing the Vietnam – China relationship in diverse areas, including economic cooperation.
Noting that the Vietnam – China relationship had developed strongly over the past years and made important contributions to the economic growth rate in each country, he stated that in 2019, Vietnam became China’s largest trade partner in Southeast Asia. In the same year, some 6 million Chinese tourists came to Vietnam, accounting for 40% of international arrivals to Vietnam.
In addition, the cooperation between localities of the two countries has achieved good results, including Ho Chi Minh City and Chinese provinces and cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Zhejiang and Chongqing. “The encouraging results in Vietnam - China relations, as well as the development and stability of each country, bring us the belief in a new, strong and substantial stage of development of bilateral relations this year and the years to come,” said Mr. Ha.
Expressing his thanks to HUFO and the Vietnam-China Friendship Organization of Ho Chi Minh city for supporting the Chinese Consulate General to promote the Vietnam - China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, Chinese Deputy Consul General to Ho Chi Minh city Hao Zhigang highlighted the sound traditional friendship between the two countries, adding that the cooperative relations have been developed in a more practical and deeper manner across the fields of politics, economy and people diplomacy.
“For many successive years, China has been Vietnam’s largest trade partner and largest supplier of tourists,” he said. “Vietnam has also been China’s largest trade partner in ASEAN and 8th largest global trade partner.”
He also highlighted the two countries’ increased exchanges in education and culture./.