Deep Friendship Between Vietnam And China

Vietnam and China are neighbors joined by rivers and mountains. Geographical location and history ensure close friendship. This is especially true since they both endured a long revolutionary struggle to achieve national liberation， forging what Chairman Ho Chi Minh once praised as “deep friendship between comrades and brothers”.

The history of the past 60 years or more has vividly shown how traditional friendship becomes the precious wealth of the two peoples. Enhancing communication and promoting mutual understanding， respect and trust play an important role in meeting their desires and long-term interests.

Less than three months after normalization of relations in November 1991， the Vietnam-China Friendship Association （VCFA）， in collaboration with the China-Vietnam Friendship Association （CVFA）， organized a performing tour of Vietnam by Jining Acrobatic Troupe from Shandong Province. This was the first Chinese performing art delegation to visit with resumption of cooperation between the two friendship associations after over a decade of suspension.

The visit created a friendly atmosphere for the development of bilateral relations. In 1993， the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations （VUFO） and the VCFA formally restored relations with the CPAFFC and the CVFA and began a program of exchanges and other activities.

In 1999， Le Kha Phieu， General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam， paid a historic visit to China. The leaders of the two countries set the guideline and overall framework for developing relations known as the “16-Chinese-character principles” — “good-neighborliness， comprehensive cooperation， long-term stability and future-orientation”. In 2002 when visiting Vietnam， Jiang Zemin， General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee， put forward the “four-good spirit” — “good neighbors， good friends， good comrades and good partners”.

In 2008， consensus was reached to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation for a new stage of development. Viewing Vietnam-China relations from a strategic perspective and long-term interests， the two sides have now provided favorable conditions for bilateral cooperation in various areas.

As core organizations of people-to-people diplomacy between the two countries， the VUFO and the CPAFFC have created many activities to consolidate and strengthen friendship. In 2008， to commemorate the 118th birth date of Chairman Ho Chi Minh， they co-hosted a “Meeting in the Hometown of Uncle Ho”. At the end of the same year， the two countries completed a boundary survey and erection of boundary markers along their land border.

The two organizations co-sponsored the “2009 Vietnam-China Border Peoples’ Friendship Gala” in Mong Cai of Vietnam’s Quang Ninh Province and Fangchenggang of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to build the land boundary into a peaceful， friendly， stable and cooperative one， implementing the 2009-2010 Agreement on Cooperation signed by them.

The year 2010 became the Year of Vietnam-China Friendship. A series of activities were held， including Vietnam-China People’s Forum， Vietnam-China Knowledge Competition， Vietnam-China People’s Gala， etc. Besides this， we also cooperated in organizing the Vietnam-China Friendship Bringing-Light Tour， during which Chinese doctors gave free surgery to Vietnamese cataract patients， and the Vietnam-China Friendship Bringing-Light Program with Chinese side donating a Wind-Solar Photovoltaic Hybrid Generation System to Vietnam’s Con Co Island. All these events were deeply rooted in people’s hearts.

Projects such as Vietnam-China People’s Forum and Vietnam-China People’s Gala have become exemplary brands of cooperation between our two associations with substantive contents highly appreciated by Party and government leaders and the public. The VUFO and the CPAFFC not only maintain close cooperation at the bilateral level， but have also taken an active part in holding the Conference on ASEAN-China People-to-People Friendship Organizations， China-ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Start-up Forum， China-ASEAN Friendship Tour and China-ASEAN Youth Cultural Exchange Festival.

On June 17， 2013， witnessed by Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang， and General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping， the leaders of our two associations signed the 2013-2017 Plan for Cooperation in the Great Hall of the People， giving a clear direction for cooperation for the next five years.

We are happy to see the bilateral cooperation is in a stage of stable and sound development. Both Vietnam and China treasure our friendship and have the responsibility to maintain it and carry it forward. As envoys and bridges of friendship， our two organizations have done much to deepen the friendly ties between our peoples， making a positive contribution to the maintenance of regional peace and stability.

Both Vietnam and China are facing arduous and difficult tasks in reform and development. Continuously consolidating bilateral friendship and promoting win-win cooperation conform to the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples， safeguard of the cause of socialist countries and requirement of the times. Both Vietnam and China have always attached great importance to the people-to-people diplomacy and regard it as an effort to build bridges of friendship and an important channel for uniting the two nations.

With the aims of enhancing people’s friendship， furthering international cooperation， safeguarding world peace and promoting common development， the CPAFFC has made great contributions to the people-to-people diplomacy since its establishment 60 years ago. The VUFO expresses its appreciation for CPAFFC’s achievements and is willing to maintain close ties with the CPAFFC and together with your association make new contributions to deepening mutual understanding between our two peoples and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation.

I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to extend to all CPAFFC leaders and staff my best wishes. May your association grow stronger and develop faster. May the Vietnam-China friendship last forever， generation after generation.