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Zhao extended his congratulations on the success of the recent 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), which he said will open up a new chapter in the country’s cause of building socialism.

He also congratulated Nguyen Phu Trong on his re-election as General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee.

The Chinese minister told the host that his visit aims to step up the implementation of joint high-level perceptions, especially in terms of law enforcement.

He highly lauded the results of bilateral cooperation in COVID-19 prevention and control, while expressing his belief that the Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the CPV, will gain greater achievements in national building and development and successfully realise the targets set by the 13th National Party Congress.

Zhao said that in the coming time, the two ministries will continue working together in implementing the common perceptions of the two countries’ senior leaders, while speeding up collaboration on crime prevention and control, thus helping develop Vietnam-China relations more intensively and extensively, bringing practical benefits to the people of both nations and contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong spoke highly of the outcomes of the talks between the two Ministers of Public Security, proposing the ministries maintain their effective implementation of high-ranking leaders’ common perception on security cooperation and law enforcement, and promote their special roles in the new normal situation of pandemic prevention and control, and economic recovery and development.

He also suggested the two ministries increase exchange and meetings via flexible forms.

The top leader affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always attach importance to consolidating and developing friendly neighbourliness with their Chinese counterparts.

Vietnam is willing to join China in maintaining high-level exchanges, controlling any differences, effectively carrying out cooperation across various fields, and continuously developing bilateral relations in a healthy and stable manner, he said.

* On the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Chinese Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi in Hanoi

The Government leader welcomed the Chinese official to visit Viet Nam and co-organise the seventh meeting on crime prevention and fight between the two Ministries of Public Security, believing that the visit would contribute positively to friendly ties and cooperation between the two countries and ministries.

He informed his guest about the success of the recent 13th National Party Congress, stating that the congress continued to determine Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification, multilateralisation, and international cooperation.

The PM reiterated that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people always attach importance to maintaining and developing the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with their Chinese counterparts, considering this as a consistent guideline, a strategic choice, and a leading priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Chinese Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi.

He applauded the outcomes of the working session between Zhao and Vietnamese Minister of Public Security To Lam, while highly the positive cooperation results between the two countries’ public security forces in crime prevention and fight as well as security maintenance and protection.

On the occasion, PM Phuc thanked China for its active cooperation and support for Vietnam’s proposals and initiatives during the latter’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020.

Amid the serious impacts of COVID-19 globally, the Government leaders of Vietnam and China held phone talks early (in April 2020) to discuss cooperation in the pandemic fight, he said, adding that the two countries also offered mutual assistance in terms of COVID-19 prevention supplies, reflecting the fine sentiments of cooperation between their peoples.

The PM underlined that in the face of the current complex international situation and for the all-round interests of the two Parties and countries, Vietnam really hopes for peace and stability in the region.

The CPV has the responsibility of guaranteeing Vietnam’s legitimate interests, and it supports a China of development with active contributions to regional and global peace, cooperation, and development, he affirmed.

PM Phuc voiced his belief that the Chinese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, with Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping as the nucleus, will achieve many successes on their path to realising the second centenary goal.

He hoped that the two governments and the ministries of public security will contribute to consolidating the sound relations between Vietnam and China and maintaining a shared border of peace, friendship, stability and development.

Via Minister Zhao, PM Phuc offered his best wishes to Chinese Party General Secretary and State President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

Zhao Kezhi conveyed the regards and Lunar New Year greetings of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to the Vietnamese PM and offered congratulations on the success of the 13th National Congress of the CPV.

He expressed his positive impression of Vietnam’s great socio-economic development achievements, noting that since the outbreak of COVID-19, the two countries have worked closely together to overcome the impacts of the pandemic and constantly deepen bilateral ties across various fields.

The cause of building socialism of Vietnam and China is at a critical stage and faces unprecedented external risks and challenges, he said, stating that the two Ministries of Public Security have discussed the enhancement of cooperation and solidarity to cope with challenges and resolutely ensure security for the people.

The Chinese minister thanked Vietnam for its cooperation and assistance when serving as Chair of ASEAN in 2020, as well as the country’s active collaboration with China in the pandemic fight.

He suggested the two sides strengthen mutual political trust while preserving and ensuring security for the people, voicing his belief that the two Governments and Ministries of Public Security will contribute actively to Vietnam-China relations.

* Earlier on February 19, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security To Lam chaired an official welcome ceremony for the Chinese delegation led by Minister Zhao Kezhi.

After the ceremony, the two ministers co-chaired the seventh meeting on crime prevention between the two Ministries of Public Security.

The meeting was an important event in bilateral ties, seeking to further promote the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries in the fields of national security, crime prevention and combat, and the protection of social order and safety.

The event also offered a chance for both sides to evaluate the implementation outcomes of the two ministries’ cooperation agreements since their previous meeting in Beijing in October 2018, and set out measures to strengthen cooperation until 2022.

The two Ministers of Public Security sign and exchange the minutes of the meeting.

As reported at the meeting, since 2018, the two ministries have conducted four raids against drug-related crimes, especially trans-national cases, while completing coordination mechanisms on joint investigations in drug-related cases. Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security has assisted the Chinese side in identifying many high-tech criminals involving Chinese nationals operating in Vietnam, as well as in arresting and handing over criminals to the Chinese side. Vietnamese and Chinese authorities have collaborated in combating human trafficking cases, especially the trafficking of Vietnamese women to China, and have rescued many Vietnamese victims. In addition, bilateral coordination in arresting and handing over wanted criminals has recorded many significant results.

During the meeting, the two ministers signed and exchanged the minutes, while agreeing upon measures to improve collaboration efficiency in protecting the domestic security of each country and efficiency of cooperation in crime prevention and control in the near future, with a focus on holding joint crackdowns on trans-national crimes such as terrorism, high-tech crime, human trafficking and drug-related crime. They also agreed to coordinate in holding the eighth meeting in China in 2022.

The functional units of the two ministries signed three MoUs on cooperation in fighting high-tech crime, crime related to telecommunications and Internet networks, and the management of migrants and enter-exit activities.

* In the afternoon, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence General Ngo Xuan Lich hosted a reception for Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi.

At the reception, the two officers highlighted recent practical cooperation between the two ministries, especially in the context of the complex development of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Border management forces of the two countries have coordinated closely in deploying teams and setting up posts to contain the spread of the virus in border areas and to minimise illegal cross-border travel, they said.

They also proposed solutions to promote and improve the efficiency of cooperation between the Vietnamese Border Guard and the National Immigration Administration of China in the time to come.

The two sides pledged to continue strictly implementing legal documents on border and the bilateral agreements signed between the two countries, focusing on adopting synchronous measures and closely cooperating on exit and entry management and control amid the pandemic.

They will also work closely in the fight against crime, especially cross-border crime, terrorism, high-tech crime, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking, towards maintaining security and order in border areas.

Within the framework of the meeting, the two ministers signed a cooperation agreement on establishing a three-level law enforcement coordination mechanism in border control at border gates and in land border management.