A pilgrimage to China for Vietnam’s new leader

Talk of divergent strategic views between the neighbours would be a misreading of history.

A century ago, 1924, Ho Chi Minh arrived in Guangzhou, China, as a young revolutionary, where he “bonded with a core group of confidants and comrades” and spent his days “propagandising among Vietnamese youth” who worked in the province. The man who would go on to lead a Vietnamese communist movement to victory over European colonialists and the might of the American military forged close personal links with counterparts China and came to be locally revered – even if the country he was so instrumental in creating hasn’t always seen eye-to-eye with its northern neighbour.

So, it was striking that on 18 August, Vietnam’s new President and General Secretary of the Communist Party, To Lam, visited China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, just two weeks after taking office.

There were the usual announcements expected from such a visit. Lam’s leadership aims to advance the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, strengthen the Vietnam-China community of shared future, building on the legacy of his predecessor Nguyen Phu Trong.

But it was also the symbolism of Vietnam’s enduring relationship with China that stood out, framed around Ho Chi Minh’s history – and a counterpoint to talk about divergent strategic views between Vietnam and China, in particular with regard to the South China Sea.

Chinese media reported Lam’s stops at Ho’s key revolutionary sites in Guangzhou, including the headquarters of the Vietnamese Revolutionary Youth League and the Guangdong Museum of Revolutionary History, where Vietnam Youth Political Training Classes were held. These sites, crucial to Ho’s revolutionary work, underscores the deep bond between the Communist parties of Vietnam and China. The visit was said to have highlighted the Vietnam-China bilateral relationship as that of “good neighbours”, “brothers and comrades”, and “mountains and rivers”, reflecting their shared history and mutual support during the revolutionary struggle and in national development.

In addition, the visit occurred just as Vietnam implemented the resolution of its 13th National Party Congress, which upholds the country’s foreign policy of “independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, development, multilateralisation, and diversification” with a focus on neighbouring countries. The next party congress is soon to begin, giving Lam a chance to burnish his reputation and priorities to both domestic and foreign observers with his tour to China.

In economic terms, the visit also facilitated discussions about expanding trade, investment, infrastructure, and technology. Notably, the two sides signed 14 cooperation documents, with a focus on domestic railway projects connecting Lao Cai to Hai Phong city, as well as cross-border railway projects linking Vietnam and China. The talks secured market access for Vietnamese agricultural products such as watermelon, durian, and coconuts. Social affairs was also on the agenda.

The links between the countries extend to cultural and education collaboration. More than 23,000 Vietnamese students are now in China, doubling the total prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Vietnam continues to increase, reaching 2.1 million in the first half of 2024, surpassing the total of 2023.

All this illustrates that Vietnam-China relations have substantially deepened. Lam’s first trip to China, while symbolising his commitment to continuing the legacy of his predecessors, transcends mere formality. It underscores the strong emphasis both countries place on reinforcing and advancing sustainable and practical collaboration across all levels, sectors, and communities of two countries.

By Nguyen Thi Mai Anh – The Interpreter – September 2, 2024