Beijing (TDI): The upcoming visits by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia are his first trips abroad this year and hold significant importance for the overall development of China’s ties with the three nations and ASEAN as a whole, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.
Spokesperson Lin Jian told a daily media briefing that the visits are also likely to inject new momentum for peace and development in the region and the world at large.
Xi will pay a state visit to Vietnam from April 14 to 15, at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and President of Vietnam Luong Cuong.
President Xi will also pay state visits to Malaysia and Cambodia from April 15 to 18, at the invitation of King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim and King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia.
Lin said China prioritizes its diplomatic efforts in its neighboring regions, stressing that Beijing and Southeast Asia share a common destiny as good neighbors, good friends and good partners.
Recently, a central conference on work related to neighboring nations was successfully organized, making it clear that China will continue to follow the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in neighborhood diplomacy, and join hands with neighboring states to foster friendly collaboration, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and promote joint growth and revitalization, Lin noted.
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China and Vietnam are friendly socialist neighbor countries and are both advancing reform and innovation in line with their national conditions, Lin said, adding that strengthening unity and collaboration serves the mutual interests of both sides.
During the visit, Xi will hold meetings with General Secretary To Lam and meet with President Luong Cuong, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man, Lin said.
He added that Beijing looks forward to seizing this opportunity to strengthen the traditional friendship of “comrades and brothers” between China and Vietnam, increase strategic mutual trust, deepen practical collaboration, and promote the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.
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China and Malaysia, both important developing nations and emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific region, have seen their ties maintain high-level development over the past years, guided by the strategic vision of their leaders, Lin said.
Noting that Cambodia is China’s traditionally friendly neighbor and ironclad friend, Lin said under the strategic guidance of the two nations’ leaders, the China-Cambodia community with a shared future has entered a new era of high quality, high level and high standard.
