Neighbors strengthen ties rather than cut them: China Daily editorial

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is in China on a four-day formal visit, during which he will attend the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin.

As both sides have pointed out in relation to Pham’s visit, each side considers relations with the other to be a diplomatic priority. This is not only a natural product of the two countries’ historical friendship and their long-standing mutually beneficial exchanges in the process of regional economic integration. It is also the result of a forward-looking strategic choice by them.

Prime Minister Pham’s participation in the Tianjin event is meant, to a great extent, to attract more foreign direct investment to Vietnam. Chinese enterprises are already showing they are happy to oblige. Vietnam is China’s largest trading partner among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Chinese direct investment in Vietnam has kept increasing in recent years, becoming the fourth largest last year.