Welcoming the delegation at the airport were Chinese officials, including Wang Weizhong, a member of the Party Central Committee and Governor of Guangdong Province; Sun Zhiyang, Mayor of Guangzhou; and Xiong Bo, the Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam.

The Vietnamese side was represented by Pham Sao Mai, Vietnam's Ambassador to China, Nguyen Viet Dung, Consul General in Guangzhou, and other consular officials, along with members of the Vietnamese community in Guangzhou.

On the first day of the visit, General Secretary and President To Lam, accompanied by his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, is scheduled to pay tribute at the tomb of Martyr Pham Hong Thai, visit the Revolutionary Youth League site, and hold talks with Huang Kunming, Party Secretary of Guangdong Province.

Guangdong Province, home to 21 cities including the central hubs of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, is one of the most economically dynamic regions in China. The province has established strong, comprehensive ties with Vietnam, particularly in economic and trade sectors. Guangdong leads Chinese provinces in trade volume with Vietnam, accounting for 21.1% of the total bilateral trade.

In 2023, trade between Vietnam and Guangdong reached $48.24 billion, with Vietnam exporting $22.89 billion to the province, according to Chinese customs data.

Guangdong has several sister-city partnerships with Vietnamese localities, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Can Tho.

Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, is not only the economic center of the Pearl River Delta but also a driving force behind China's leading export processing zones. The city holds historical significance for Vietnam, as it was the site of revolutionary activities by President Ho Chi Minh.

Exactly 100 years ago, in 1924, President Ho Chi Minh, serving as an envoy for the Comintern, chose Guangzhou as a strategic location for revolutionary activities. The city was a vital base for many pioneering Vietnamese revolutionaries and is home to significant historical sites, including the Revolutionary Youth League Memorial House and the tomb of Martyr Pham Hong Thai.

Guangzhou is also where the first issue of Thanh Nien newspaper, the organ of the Revolutionary Youth League, was published on June 21, 1925, a date now celebrated as the anniversary of Vietnam's Revolutionary Press.

Tran Thuong – Minh Nhat