General view of the working session
Speaking at the meeting, Chairman Lê Ngọc Châu welcomed the delegation for their visit and working session in Hai Phong. He emphasized that in recent times, the relationship between Vietnam and China has been continuously strengthened and comprehensively developed, highlighted by high-level visits and meetings between leaders of the two countries. These interactions have created a foundational orientation for deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, contributing to the building of a Vietnam–China Community with a Shared Future of strategic significance—promoting peace, stability, and development in the region and the world, as well as bringing practical, long-term benefits to the peoples of both nations.
The Chairman noted that Hai Phong City and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have maintained a long-standing and positive cooperative relationship through friendly exchanges with Nanning City since 2006. Delegation exchanges and cooperation activities have been regularly organized. He expressed confidence that today’s visit would continue to foster and deepen the good relationship between the two localities.

The Chairman briefed the delegation on Hai Phong’s socio-economic development in recent years and noted that as of July 1, 2025, the new Hai Phong City was established through the merger of the former Hai Phong City and Hai Duong Province. The new Hai Phong has an area of 3,200 km² and a population of over 4.6 million. Its economy ranks third nationwide, and it is the only locality in Vietnam to have maintained double-digit growth for 10 consecutive years. In 2024, the city’s GRDP grew by 11.01%, leading the Red River Delta region.
Hai Phong is one of Vietnam’s top localities in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), with 1,768 valid FDI projects and over USD 50 billion in registered capital. Among these, 792 projects originate from China (including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau), with total capital exceeding USD 13 billion—accounting for more than one-quarter of the city’s total FDI. Mainland China alone accounts for 342 projects totaling over USD 2.8 billion. However, there have not yet been any projects from Guangxi investors.

                                                                        Chairman Lê Ngọc Châu speaks at the meeting.
On the occasion of the delegation’s visit, Chairman Lê Ngọc Châu proposed several measures to further strengthen cooperation between Hai Phong and Guangxi:
•  Continue maintaining leadership exchanges, as well as exchanges between departments, sectors, and enterprises, to deepen practical and effective cooperation.
•   Enhance cooperation in education and training, including:
• Increasing the number of scholarships for Hai Phong students to study in Guangxi (currently only two students per year);
• Sending Guangxi teachers to teach at secondary schools and universities in Hai Phong;
• Strengthening international cooperation and joint training programs between educational institutions.
•  Organize training courses for Hai Phong’s officials, public servants, and teachers in areas where Guangxi excels, such as artificial intelligence, new energy, and smart cities.

                                                             Leaders of Hai Phong and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
In addition, he proposed expanding bilateral trade and logistics connectivity; promoting the construction of the standard-gauge railway from Mong Cai – Ha Long – Hai Phong; enhancing maritime connections between Lach Huyen Port and the ports of Beihai, Fangcheng, and Qinzhou to jointly develop port clusters; and restoring the direct international transport route between Nanning and Hai Phong. He also recommended opening more cargo and passenger transport routes, strengthening tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, maximizing the Hai Phong – Nanning flight route to boost tourism, increasing tourism promotion efforts, and jointly developing Hai Phong – Nanning tour routes, along with maintaining cultural and youth exchange activities.

Comrade Wei Tao thanked Hai Phong’s leaders for their warm welcome and expressed his joy at the city’s remarkable development achievements. He emphasized the importance of bilateral cooperation.
Wei Tao affirmed that Guangxi and Hai Phong both play important roles in economic cooperation between Vietnam and China. He expressed his desire to collaborate closely with Hai Phong in the areas proposed by the city, aiming to maximize each locality’s strengths and contribute to the sustainable development of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Vietnam and China.