The Parties sign the meeting minutes.

… In the spirit of working together to implement the MoU between the Provincial Party Committees of Cao Bang, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Ha Giang and the Party Committee of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for the 2022 - 2026 period, under the “16 Words” Guideline (friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability and future-oriented thinking) and the spirit of “Four Good” (good neighbours, good friends, good comrades, good partners), enhancing political mutual trust, consolidating traditional friendship, promoting exchanges and comprehensive cooperation in various fields, contributing to bringing the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era to new heights. The parties reached common perceptions on the friendly exchanges and cooperation in 2023 as follows:

1. Regarding exchange of Party committees at all levels

The parties shall strengthen friendly exchanges of Party committees and organizations; continue to cooperate in personnel training, deepen exchanges and share experience in Party building, social management, discipline inspection, organization, and propaganda.

2. Regarding friendly exchange

The parties agreed that, on the basis that the Covid-19 epidemic is gradually under control, it is necessary to give full play to the leading role of the mechanism of the Spring Meeting between the Secretaries of the Party Committees and the mechanism of the Meeting of the Joint Working Committee, thereby gradually restoring high-level delegation exchanges between the parties, promoting the resumption of exchange and cooperation activities that were suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to exchange through the forms of visits, diplomatic notes, border talks, hotlines, etc., and improving the effectiveness of substantive cooperation to bring practical benefits to the parties.

3. Regarding cooperation in key fields

(1) Economic - trade cooperation

The parties agreed to strengthen information sharing, timely exchange to resolve difficulties, obstacles and problems arising in the process of cooperation, create a platform for exchange and promotion for businesses, promote the normalization of economic and trade cooperation activities, deepen cross-border professional cooperation; accelerate the construction of Vietnam - China cross-border economic cooperation zone; continue promoting the early signing of the Framework Agreement on the construction of the Vietnam-China cross border economic zone, which serves as the basis for the construction of cross-border economic zone; support Quang Ninh and Guangxi to pilot the construction of Mong Cai (Vietnam) - Dongxing 3 (China) cross-border economic zone; continue to boost trade cooperation by jointly implementing the "Action Plan for the 2021-2023 period implementing the MoU on strengthening cooperation between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the People’s Government of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region"; expand bilateral trade cooperation, creating favorable conditions for businesses of the two countries to timely grasp changes in policies on management of import and export goods; support enterprises of the two countries to implement cooperation in the fields of industry, agriculture, forestry, fisheries science and technology; strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of transport, tourism and finance.

 (2) Building transport connections

The parties agreed to strengthen the construction of both sides’ railway and road infrastructure, focusing on promoting the plan to continue the project of expanding and renovating the Nanning - Pingxiang - Dong Dang - Ha Noi railway; soon implement convenient and efficient cross-border road connection.

Cao Bang and Guangxi shall coordinate to complete the procedures to put Ta Lung - Shuikou bridge II project into operation.

(3) Border gate construction

The parties agreed to actively promote cooperation in building a synchronous border gate, a border gate "model" with the most complete infrastructure, the highest clearance efficiency, and the most optimal customs clearance service; actively research and develop a pilot smart border gate which timely notifies information about border gate clearance; cooperate in solving problems arising in border-gate clearance activities, improving capacity and efficiency of border-gate clearance; promote healthy and orderly border trade; maintain stable industry chains and international supply chains; perfect the mechanism of periodic meetings and talks to timely solve problems arising during the process of cooperation; improve customs clearance efficiency, promptly notify information and policy adjustments related to border trade activities, creating favorable conditions for enterprises of the two countries operating in the field of border trade.

Ta Lung - Shuikou bridge II completed in the early March 2021

Cao Bang and Guangxi jointly promote the completion of inspection and acceptance of the infrastructure of pairs of border gates:  Tra Linh (Vietnam) - Longpang (China), Ta Lung (Vietnam) - Shuikou (China), Ly Van (Vietnam) - Shuolong (China); promote the early completion of the domestic acceptance procedures of each side as well as the exchange of diplomatic documents to timely organize the announcement Ceremony of upgrading Tra Linh - Longpang and Ta Lung - Shuikou to international border gates, opening Na Doong (Vietnam) - Na Ray (China) border crossing, officially opening Ly Van (Vietnam) - Shuolong (China) border gate; speed up related procedures of putting the Ta Lung (Vietnam) - Shuikou (China) Bridge II project into operation.

(4) Tourism cooperation

The Parties agreed to jointly promote the resumption of tours, ensuring the achievement of the "dual goal" - gradually normalizing the Covid-19 epidemic and promoting cooperation in tourism development; continue to implement the Agreement on Cooperation in Protection and Exploitation of Tourism Resources of Ban Gioc (Vietnam) - Detian (China) waterfall by early pilot operation for the two sides’ visitors to the landscape area; restore border tourism activities; research and develop a number of unique cross-border tourism products.

4. Regarding people-to-people exchange

The parties agreed that the traditional friendship of being both comrades and brothers, which has been built and cultivated by President Ho Chi Minh, Chairman Mao Zedong and other senior leaders, is a valuable asset of the two peoples, which should be further inherited, protected and promoted well; promote people-to-people exchanges between provinces/region through flexible and diverse forms, especially promoting substantive exchanges and cooperation between the youth of the two sides, enhancing understanding and friendship between the two sides; further expand cooperation in the fields of science, education, culture, sports and health; explore new ways and new models to develop exchanges and cooperation in media and press in order to promote each side’s history, culture, tourism, investment policy and potentials for the socio - economic development; continue to organize people-to-people exchange activities, popularize the friendship exchanges of the two countries, and send more international students to the parties’ universities for studying. In 2023, Guangxi shall continue to grant 100 scholarships under the Government Scholarship Program to four border provinces of Vietnam. Ha Giang province shall grant two full scholarships to students of Baise city to study Vietnamese at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Lang Son province shall grant five scholarships to students of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to study at member universities of Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

5. Regarding border management cooperation

The Parties agree to strengthen cooperation and coordination in timely and amicable settlement of border events in accordance with three legal documents on Vietnam - China land border and related agreements. The provinces of Vietnam and Guangxi shall direct border agencies and localities to coordinate in holding talks, carrying out direct survey, evaluating, signing minutes and reporting to competent authorities of the two sides for review and approval before carrying out the construction of border works.

The two sides shall strengthen cooperation in preventing forest fires and pollution of border water sources in order to protect ecological environment in border areas; ensure stability and safety in border areas through cooperation in the prevention of crime, illegal entry and exit, human trafficking and cross-border smuggling; continue to direct localities and functional forces of the two sides to strengthen cooperation to properly solve existing problems in some border areas in accordance with the agreement on Vietnam - China land border management regulations and related agreements.