At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pays an official visit to China. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Chinese Premier Li Qiang hosts welcome ceremony for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Beijing. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

On the morning of June 26, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Qiang hosted an official welcome ceremony for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

After the welcome ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Chinese Premier Li Qiang hold bilateral talks. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

This is the first official visit by PM Chinh and the first by a Vietnamese PM to China after seven years. It is also the first time key leaders of the two countries directly meet after China completed the State leadership for the new tenure. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pays an official visit to China.

On the morning of June 26, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Qiang hosted an official welcome ceremony for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

This is the first official visit by PM Chinh and the first by a Vietnamese PM to China after seven years. It is also the first time key leaders of the two countries directly meet after China completed the State leadership for the new tenure.

PM Chinh's trip is taking place in the context that the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries has been following a developing trend with many positive outcomes. In particular, the official visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in October 2022 created a new strong impetus for bilateral ties.

Vietnam and China have enjoyed strong political trust, along with expanding economic, trade and investment partnership. Vietnam is currently the fourth largest trade partner of China, with bilateral trade reaching 175 billion USD in 2022, accounting for one fourth of China's total trade with ASEAN member countries.

Previously, right after arriving in Bejing, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the Embassy of Vietnam in China and had meeting with Vietnamese community in the country.

On this ocassion, Prime Minister will attend the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC) of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

According to Standing Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu, PM Chinh is one of the four Government leaders invited to the event, showing the special attention that the WEF and the international business community pay to the role of the Vietnamese economy as well as the country's determination to reform and open its economy.

The cooperation between Vietnam and the WEF is also expanding. The WEF and Professor Klaus Schwab personally attach great importance to and highly value the role and position of Vietnam. The two sides have cooperated in macro policy consultations, reducing plastic waste, promoting sustainable agriculture, narrowing the labour skills gap and speeding up digital transformation.

Vietnam's cooperation with the WEF through programmes and projects and participation in WEF meetings as well as hosting a number of the forum's events have helped the country attract more investment, promote the image of the nation, foster collaboration with many global enterprises and update on new trends and advanced development-governance practices.