China to boost imports of high‑quality Vietnamese goods, accelerate rail projects

PM Li made the remarks during his talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh in Tianjin on Tuesday.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum (WEF Tianjin 16), coinciding with PM Chinh's visit to China.

Li warmly welcomed and praised PM Chinh's third consecutive attendance at the event, noting that it underscores Vietnam's strong regard for China and the depth of their bilateral relationship.

The two leaders acknowledged that relations between the two countries have made significant, tangible progress across multiple areas, including high‑level exchanges, political trust, and cooperation in the economic, trade, investment, and tourism sectors.

PM Chinh proposed that China expand its imports of Vietnamese agricultural products to foster more balanced and sustainable bilateral trade.

He also recommended exploring a pilot model for cross‑border economic cooperation zones, accelerating the development of smart border gates, and enhancing electricity grid connectivity.

PM Li affirmed that China is ready to import more high‑quality products from Vietnam and encourages capable enterprises to invest in Vietnam across sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), the digital economy, the green economy, next‑generation 5G, and satellite applications.

Regarding railway infrastructure, the Vietnamese leader proposed developing three standard-gauge railway lines linking Vietnam and China, prioritizing the launch of the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong line in December 2025.

PM Li emphasized that China is ready to accelerate strategic infrastructure connectivity with Vietnam and strongly supports Hanoi's ambition to launch the railway projects soon.

He proposed convening the inaugural meeting of the Joint Committee on Railway Cooperation, expediting feasibility studies, and implementing best-practice solutions based on scientific, safety-driven, and standardized principles.

The two leaders also held open and candid discussions on maritime issues, agreeing to better manage and resolve differences to maintain peace and stability.

PM Chinh called on China, Vietnam, and ASEAN to work toward the early conclusion of a substantive, effective Code of Conduct in the East Vietnam Sea, in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), based on mutual consensus.

Both leaders exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern and agreed to maintain coordination and cooperation in regional and international forums.

PM Li welcomed Vietnam's decision to become a partner of BRICS—a bloc of emerging economies now comprising 11 countries, originally founded by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.