President Xi-Jinping starts his programme of wooing neighbours through new mechanism
By Satyaki Chakraborty
Just three days after the conclusion of the eight day National People’s Congress in Beijing, Chinese Government launched on March 15 an innovative strategic dialogue with its neighbours focusing on political, security as also defence cooperation issues. The dialogue is called 3+3 dialogue and it has drawn the attention of the diplomats globally, especially from Japan and Washington.
The first country to start with is Vietnam. On March 15 itself, the ministerial meeting of the China-Vietnam 3+3 strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defence and public security kicked off in Vietnam capital. Significantly Vietnam has good trade relations with the USA and Vietnam is also among the few countries which have signed trade deal with President Trump in the wake of the trade war. Beijing says that Chinese policy is not against any third country, Vietnam can have relations with the USA while be a part of this new mechanism.
It is no coincidence that the world’s first “3+3” mechanism has emerged between China and Vietnam. The two countries are friendly socialist neighbours connected by mountains and rivers, sharing similar cultures and enjoying close people-to-people ties and a profound friendship as “comrades and brothers.” In December 2024, the two countries held the first meeting of the “3+3” strategic dialogue mechanism on diplomacy, defense and public security, co-chaired by senior officials from the foreign affairs, military and public security departments of both sides. In April 2025, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visited Vietnam, during which the two sides agreed to deepen political and security cooperation, upgrade the China-Vietnam “3+3” strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security to the ministerial level, and hold its first ministerial-level meeting at an appropriate time.
After the convening of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) in January this year, General Secretary Xi had a phone call with General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee To Lam. They agreed to make the first ministerial meeting of the “3+3” mechanism a great success. The establishment and upgrading of the “3+3” mechanism are major institutional outcomes achieved under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of both parties and both countries.
From April 8 to 9, 2025, the Central Conference on Work Related to Neighbouring Countries was held in Beijing. General Secretary Xi, in his important speech, emphasized the need to focus on building a community with a shared future with neighbouring countries, striving to break new ground in neighbourhood work.
General Secretary Xi made his first overseas visit of the year to Vietnam, the first neighbouring country he visited that year, following the conference. According to Chinese official media, the upgrading of the China-Vietnam “3+3” mechanism to the ministerial level fully demonstrates the strategic mutual trust and broad cooperation between the two sides. It exemplifies a model of security for Asia that features sharing weal and woe, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and prioritizing dialogue and consultation, and reflects the shared vision of the two countries to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home.
According to Chinese foreign ministry officials, diplomacy, defense and public security constitute the “iron triangle” safeguarding national sovereignty and security. In today’s international relations, the “2+2” (foreign ministers + defense ministers) strategic dialogue mechanism is relatively common. The “3+3” mechanism adds public security, which aligns with the general trend of deepening relations between China and its neighbouring countries. Currently, the Belt and Road Initiative is deeply integrated with the development strategies of neighbouring countries, and a large number of Chinese enterprises and citizens have gone global.
The Chinese government is giving special focus on cross border crimes under this 3+3 mechanism. The reasons is transnational crimes are becoming networked, intelligent and chain-based, making cross-border law enforcement cooperation increasingly important. The China-Vietnam “3+3” mechanism provides a new paradigm for expanding Lancang-Mekong cooperation and China-ASEAN cooperation, and serves as an important practical platform for advancing the building of a community with a shared future with neighbouring countries.
It is significant that China under President Xi’s new outreach to the neighbouring countries, is underlining the position that China has no problem in the neighbouring countries having good relations with USA or other countries. Some Western media outlets tend to view the cooperation between Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam and China through the lens of “US-China competition” and “geopolitical games” . China views these reflecting an outdated Cold War mentality. The China-Vietnam “3+3” mechanism is not aimed at any third party but is driven by strong internal dynamics. China has maintained its position as Vietnam’s largest trading partner for over 20 consecutive years, while Vietnam is China’s largest trading partner in ASEAN.
As the Chinese policy makers see it, the level of integration between the two countries in regional and international industrial and supply chains is rapidly increasing, and cooperation in emerging fields such as the digital economy, green transformation, and high-end manufacturing is thriving. China considers Vietnam a priority in its neighbouring diplomacy, while Vietnam consistently views the development of its relationship with China as its “top priority” in foreign policy. At the same time, both sides have more consensus on effectively managing disputes and maintaining regional security. The “3+3” strategic dialogue safeguards the continuous and stable development of relations between the two parties and countries, and can be seen as a mutually beneficial endeavour focused on win-win outcomes.
According to the Global Times, the official media of the Chinese Communist Party, In the face of the current complex and intertwined international situation, it is essential for China and Vietnam, both socialist countries led by the communist party, to strengthen strategic communication and deepen strategic cooperation. This is not only a necessary step toward accelerating the construction of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future but also a vital action for advancing the modernization efforts of both countries and jointly addressing common challenges.
Chinese officials feel that this model of China-Vietnam cooperation on the basis of 3+3 mechanism, will act as a future model to the other countries of the Asian region and the process can be intensified in the coming days with greater ease. Furthermore, this model of foreign exchanges centered on dialogue, consultations will contribute to the easing of tensions among the member nations of ASEAN. China is very hopeful of the regional impact of this innovative 3+3 mechanism presently limited to Vietnam. (IPA Service)
