Expert: Joint efforts advancing China-Vietnam community with a shared future

With high-level consensus and coordinated efforts across all channels, the vision of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future will gradually become reality, benefiting both peoples, said a Vietnamese expert.

"The establishment of a new strategic positioning for the relationship between Vietnam and China through the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance is a historic milestone," said Dong Huy Cuong, vice-president of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations, or VUFO, a socio-political organization specialized in people-to-people diplomacy. 

Cuong said the concept reflects a strong political determination from both sides and provides a clear orientation to bring the bilateral relationship into a new historical phase of more stable, healthy and sustainable development.

Noting China has long been a key strategic partner for Vietnam in trade and investment, VUFO's Cuong said the bilateral trade relations have strengthened significantly, yielding notable results.

"Over the past decade, China's total investment in Vietnam has increased more than sevenfold, positioning China as the sixth-largest investor among the 148 countries and territories investing in Vietnam," said Cuong.

Chinese businesses should actively collaborate with Vietnamese partners, said Cuong, adding that civil organizations can play a key role in connecting businesses from both countries to help them explore new opportunities and organize discussions to further enhance collaboration.

China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner since 2004, while Vietnam has been China's largest trading partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations since 2016.

Early this year, the two countries designated 2025 as the China-Vietnam year of people-to-people exchanges.

Cuong said this initiative offers a valuable opportunity to enhance public awareness of bilateral friendship, particularly among younger generations while honoring the two nations' longstanding tradition of solidarity and mutual support, and further deepening their bilateral cooperation.

The VUFO, together with its partners, has regularly organized various events to promote people-to-people exchange with China, such as the photo exhibition "Achievements in Vietnam's Innovation and International Integration and China's Reform and Opening-Up" and the Vietnam-China People's Forum.

Yet there are still challenges.

"In the context of information eras, fake news has become a long-standing problem affecting the entire world, and information related to Vietnam-China relations is no exception," said Cuong, adding that the potential for people-to-people exchange between the two nations has not been fully exploited.

Cuong said related organizations of both countries must innovate the communication and education of their youth about shared solidarity and development achievements while enhancing cultural and educational exchanges.

Noting that Chinese language learning has become increasingly popular among Vietnamese youth, Cuong said VUFO will collaborate with Vietnamese and Chinese partners to expand student exchanges between the two countries.