Chief of Vietnam's ruling party set to visit China

Political mutual trust, fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and securing supply and production chains are expected to be high on the agenda between Beijing and Hanoi as the leader of Vietnam's ruling party is set to visit China, analysts said.

Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, will pay an official visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday at the invitation of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president.

Hu Zhaoming, a spokesman for the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the announcement on Tuesday.

Trong sent a congratulatory message on Sunday to Xi on his election as general secretary of the 20th CPC Central Committee.

In the message, Trong said he looks forward to meeting with Xi again to exchange views on major strategic issues, further advance bilateral political mutual trust and chart the course for the future development of two-way ties.

Once the trip is made, Trong will become the first foreign leader to visit China following the conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress.

This will also be the first trip abroad made by Trong since he took office as general secretary for his third term, said Pan Jin'e, a veteran Vietnamese studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"All these details show the unique and important nature of China-Vietnam relations, and it should be noted that ties between the two ruling parties play a navigating role in overall bilateral relations," she said.

China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner for many years, and Vietnam is China's largest trading partner within the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Annual bilateral trade exceeded $230 billion last year, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Beijing and Hanoi have had frequent high-level contacts this year to advance their cooperative agenda.

In a phone conversation with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in September, Premier Li Keqiang said China is glad to see the steady growth of Vietnam's economy, which helps to maintain the stability of industry and supply chains in East Asia.

Beijing is ready to work with Hanoi to ensure smooth customs clearance at border ports, expand imports of Vietnam's high-quality agricultural products, welcome the return of Vietnamese students to China and increase direct flights between the two countries, Li said.