Vietnam's President to Attend China's 80th Anniversary Commemoration of World War II Victory

Strategic Insights -

As Vietnam prepares to celebrate its own 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, President Luong Cuong will make his first visit to China as head of state, joining over 20 world leaders in Beijing for a grand military parade and commemoration of the world's victory over fascism. The visit, scheduled for September 2-4, coincides with the 75th anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic ties and the Year of Vietnam-China Humanistic Exchanges, underscoring the two nations' deepening relationship.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Luong Cuong's visit to China marks the first time a Vietnamese State President has attended a ceremony in China, solidifying the country's global leadership role and responsible voice for peace, security, and development.
  • The 80th anniversary of the world's victory over fascism commemorates the end of World War II, which claimed an estimated 70 million lives, including 10.7 million Soviet soldiers and 24 million civilians.
  • Vietnam and China have strengthened their bilateral relationship, advancing cooperation in six major orientations, including stronger political trust, deeper national defence-security collaboration, and closer multilateral coordination.
  • Bilateral trade between the two countries reached 205.2 billion USD in 2024, with Vietnam ranking as China's top trading partner in ASEAN and its fourth largest globally.
  • China has emerged as a key investor in Vietnam, with a cumulative foreign direct investment of 31.26 billion USD across 5,195 projects by late January 2025.
  • Tourism has surged, with 3.74 million Chinese visitors to Vietnam in 2024, a 114% increase year-on-year, accounting for 21.3% of total foreign arrivals.

Statistics:

  • Estimated 70 million lives lost in World War II, with the Soviet Union suffering heaviest losses (10.7 million soldiers and 24 million civilians) [1]
  • 205.2 billion USD in bilateral trade between Vietnam and China in 2024 [2]
  • 31.26 billion USD in cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) by China in Vietnam by late January 2025 [3]
  • 3.74 million Chinese visitors to Vietnam in 2024, a 114% increase year-on-year [4]
  • 21.3% of total foreign arrivals to Vietnam accounted for by Chinese visitors in 2024 [4]

Sources:

  • [1] "Remembering a global turning point" (no author, date)
  • [2] "Developing solid, substantive, effective Vietnam-China relations" (no author, date)
  • [3] "China emerges as key investor in Vietnam" (no author, date)
  • [4] "Tourism surges between Vietnam and China" (no author, date)