Bui Nguyen Long, First Consul-General of Viet Nam in Chongqing: The Opening of the Vietnamese Consulate-General in Chongqing Building a New Bridge for Chongqing-Viet Nam Cooperation

Vietnamese Consulate-General in Chongqing in May 2025. He has previously served at the Embassy of Viet Nam in China, the Consulate-General of Viet Nam in Guangzhou, and the Consulate-General of Viet Nam in San Francisco, USA. Fluent and natural in Chinese, he traces his bond with the language back to 1990, when Journey to the West was broadcast on Vietnam Television. From his early career as a translator at the Center for Chinese Studies of the National Center for Social Sciences and Humanities of Viet Nam (NCSSH) to becoming a diplomat posted to China, the Chinese language has always been his “trusted assistant” in both work and daily life.      

The year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Viet Nam, as well as the China-Viet Nam Year of People-to-People Exchanges. On October 29, the Consulate-General of Viet Nam in Chongqing officially opened, injecting fresh momentum into Chongqing-Viet Nam cooperation and marking a “revolutionary milestone” in the deepening of the China-Viet Nam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Recently, The World and Chongqing interviewed Bui Nguyen Long, the first Consul-General of Viet Nam in Chongqing, for his insights on the significance of establishing the Consulate-General and on the current state and future prospects of Chongqing-Viet Nam cooperation.

Establishing the Consulate in Chongqing:

“Viet Nam and China are friendly neighbors that share geographic proximity and close cultural links. Working with China is Viet Nam’s strategic choice and top priority.” Consul-General Bui Nguyen Long got straight to the point when explaining why Viet Nam decided to establish a consulate in Chongqing. Against the backdrop of the establishment of the China-Viet Nam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2008 and the building of a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future in 2023, Viet Nam chose Chongqing for its sixth consulate-general in China to further open cooperation channels with the western part of China.

The key reason lies in the “unique role” of Chongqing. According to Bui Nguyen Long, Chongqing is not only a key growth engine in western China, but also a place that bears witness to the revolutionary friendship between China and Viet Nam. The late president of Viet Nam, Ho Chi Minh, came to Chongqing twice during World War II, where he lived and worked while fighting side by side with the Chinese people. “The shared revolutionary traditions have provided a deeper emotional foundation for cooperation between Chongqing and Viet Nam.”

In November 2024, the ministries of foreign affairs of China and Viet Nam reached a consensus on opening a consulate of Viet Nam in Chongqing with a consular district covering Chongqing and Sichuan. On May 18, 2025, Bui Nguyen Long arrived in Chongqing with the first group of consular staff to assume office, completing all preparations in only six months. “With the continuous improvement of Viet Nam’s business environment and Chongqing’s new positioning as a ‘comprehensive hub for inland opening-up,’ the two sides share a promising future featuring strong cooperation potential in industry, economy and trade, culture and tourism,” said Bui Nguyen Long.

Robust Economic and Trade Cooperation

Speaking of Chongqing-Viet Nam economic cooperation, Bui Nguyen Long cited concrete figures. Viet Nam has been Chongqing’s largest trading partner in ASEAN for five consecutive years. In 2024, trade between the two sides reached USD5.7 billion, accounting for one-third of Chongqing’s total trade with ASEAN. In the first eight months of 2025, the figure exceeded RMB30.5 billion, up by 26.5% year-on-year, posting a significant growth rate.

“The trade between Chongqing and Viet Nam is highly complementary,” Bui Nguyen Long said. Viet Nam’s exports of coffee, aquatic products, tropical fruits, and other agricultural produce are well received by consumers in Chongqing, while Chongqing-made motorcycles, auto parts, batteries, and medical equipment are well-established products in the Vietnamese market. “In the future, Chongqing’s new energy vehicles may, like its motorcycles once did, become part of everyday life for the Vietnamese. And there is also great potential for the city’s rail-transit technologies to shine in Viet Nam’s urban development.”

To further expand trade, the Consulate-General of Viet Nam in Chongqing will serve as a bridge-builder between the two sides. “We will provide timely and accurate market information, match supply with demand, and streamline procedures of visa applications and consular certification to make cooperation more efficient and seamless for enterprises in Chongqing and Viet Nam,” Bui Nguyen Long said. Since arriving in Chongqing, he has visited several districts and counties, including Yuzhong District, Shapingba District, Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, Wushan County, and Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, building links with local governments and businesses.

Leveraging the ILSTC 

As the core hub of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), Chongqing’s logistics strengths serve as a crucial link for Chongqing-Viet Nam cooperation. “In the land transport from ASEAN to Europe, both Viet Nam and Chongqing are critical nodes,” said Bui Nguyen Long. By upgrading the rail services from Viet Nam to Chongqing, products from Chongqing can enter ASEAN markets via Viet Nam, while Vietnamese goods can reach Central Asia and Europe through the China-Europe Railway – “ASEAN Express”, achieving seamless connectivity.

According to Bui Nguyen Long, the Consulate-General of Viet Nam in Chongqing will continue to promote stronger communication between China and Viet Nam on rail standard alignment and customs standard harmonization, ensuring smoother logistics flows and fully unleashing Chongqing’s role as a key hub.

In terms of industrial cooperation, Viet Nam recently launched four strategic resolutions known as the “Four Pillars,” focusing on sci-tech breakthroughs and digital transformation, deeper international integration, innovation in legislation and law enforcement, and the development of the private sector — highly aligned with Chongqing’s industrial strengths. “Chongqing’s capabilities in new energy, low-altitude economy, and digital economy are exactly what Viet Nam needs for its current development,” Bui Nguyen Long said. He noted that Chongqing enterprises such as Chongqing Machinery & Electronics and Paishing Technology have already established a presence in Viet Nam. Looking ahead, the Consulate-General of Viet Nam in Chongqing will continue guiding enterprises from both sides to deepen cooperation in areas such as smart manufacturing and rail development, fostering resilient industrial and supply chain connectivity.

Cultural and Tourism Exchanges Gaining Momentum

“When you open TikTok or switch on the TV in Viet Nam, you often see images of Hongyadong Scenic Area, Liziba Station, and Chongqing hotpot. Meanwhile, Vietnamese beaches, pho, and áo dài have become equally appealing to tourists from Chongqing,” Bui Nguyen Long said with a smile. He added that the complementary cultural and tourism resources of the two sides are driving a growing flow of visitors in both directions.

Chongqing currently operates passenger flights to both Viet Nam’s Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Starting from October 27, 2025, West Air will increase its service frequency from two to six flights per week. “With more frequent flights, travel between the two places will become even more convenient,” Bui Nguyen Long said. He added that the Consulate-General of Viet Nam in Chongqing is preparing a cultural and tourism promotion event, planning to introduce Vietnamese restaurants to Chongqing and assist Chongqing travel agencies in promoting Viet Nam’s tourist destinations while offering visa facilitation.

The surge in people-to-people exchanges is also reflected in the growing popularity of learning Chinese. Bui Nguyen Long noted that Vietnamese youth are studying Chinese by watching Chinese dramas and taking HSK exams, with some primary schools incorporating Chinese into formal curricula. He believes that language is at the heart of cross-cultural exchange. Learning Chinese has helped him better understand Chinese culture and promote practical cooperation. His children are now studying Chinese in Chongqing. “I hope they will continue to learn more about China and contribute to the friendship between China and Viet Nam,” he said.

Carrying Forward the Revolutionary Friendship

In May this year, on the 135th anniversary of the birth of Ho Chi Minh, Consul-General Bui Nguyen Long led consulate staff to the Hongyan Revolution History Museum for a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s former residence. “We are grateful to Chongqing for preserving revolutionary sites, and we hope to carry forward the friendship between late President Ho Chi Minh and China’s veteran revolutionaries,” he said.

As a Communist Party member, Bui Nguyen Long holds a deep sentiment toward the revolutionary friendship between China and Viet Nam. He emphasized that cooperation between the two parties and countries is not only based on political mutual trust but also rooted in shared ideals and struggles. “The revolutionary traditions of Chongqing serve as the bond of Chongqing-Viet Nam cooperation, and we will keep this tree of friendship thriving forever,” he said.

As the first Consul-General, Bui Nguyen Long has set clear goals for his tenure. First, to enhance mutual visits between Vietnamese provinces and cities and Chongqing, and deepen political mutual trust. Second, to promote Chongqing-Viet Nam economic and trade cooperation and industrial chain linkages, expand sales of Viet Nam’s specialty agricultural produce in western China, and help Chongqing’s leading enterprises tap into the markets of Viet Nam and ASEAN. Third, to foster cultural, tourism, and educational exchanges, enabling more people from Chongqing to visit Viet Nam and more Vietnamese to learn about Chongqing.

From revolutionary friendship to practical cooperation, and from cultural echoes to people-to-people bond, the inauguration of Viet Nam’s Consulate-General in Chongqing ushers China-Viet Nam relations into a new stage. Looking ahead, this “new bridge” spanning mountains and rivers will sow more seeds of cooperation that will grow and flourish, and let the friendship between China and Viet Nam blossom with new brilliance in the new era.