China-Vietnam: synergy greater than discord
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Nguyen Huy Quy |
Editor's Note: Close neighbors China and Vietnam have some unpleasant memories dating from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The two nations normalized relations in 1991. Professor Nguyen Huy Quy (Nguyen), former director of the Institute of China at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, talked to Global Times (GT) reporter Gu Di in Hanoi recently. Nguyen is optimistic about the future relations between Vietnam and China. He disapproves of intervention by external forces in the South China Sea, arguing that China should not allow itself to be drawn into conflict.
GT: As a Vietnam-based scholar on China, what is your view of the exchanges between the two countries in the past?
Nguyen: China and Vietnam share many things in common: same culture, same origin and they used to be comrades. This is the basis of the relationship between the two countries.
Unlike other ASEAN countries, Vietnam and China have the same cultural origins. China has 56 ethnic groups, Vietnam has 54. And there are 10 to 20 cross-nation ethnic groups along the borders. What is more, both countries are led by a Communist Party.
These commonalities are very important. It is like the special relationship the US has with the UK, different from other European countries. It is not just that the US and the UK are politically close, they share ethnic roots.
Likewise, Vietnam and China enjoy a special relationship. Historically, there has been some discord, but that does not invalidate the special relationship.
GT: Some Chinese scholars claim that Vietnamese media have been unfriendly to China on occasion. What is your opinion of the two countries' media reports on Sino-Vietnam relations?
Nguyen: The current socialist ideology in Vietnam is beneficial to China. Our first priority is to handle bilateral relations well. Many factors can affect bilateral relations, including media that report sensitive issues.
Some exiled overseas Vietnamese who are opposed to the current government use Vietnamese national sentiment to deliberately provoke difficulties between Vietnam and China. If the bilateral relationship worsens, these people celebrate. Media in the two countries should avoid fanning misunderstanding during occasional conflicts.
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