Nanning (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc on September 23 met with Liu Ning, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the region's People's Congress.

The meeting took place on the occasion of Phoc's attendance at the 21th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the 21st China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) in Nanning city, Guangxi province.

He stressed that Vietnam consistently values its friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, and supports the traditional ties between Guangxi and Vietnamese localities, believing that Guangxi will successfully host the 21st CAEXPO, contributing to practical cooperation between ASEAN and China.

He urged Guangxi and Vietnamese localities to actively realise common perceptions reached by high-ranking leaders and the outcomes of Liu's recent Vietnam visit. He called for facilitating friendly exchanges between local Party organisations, authorities and mass organisations; and continuing to uphold the Spring Meeting and the Joint Working Committee mechanism between Guangxi and the Vietnamese provinces of Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Lang Son and Quang Ninh; and step up practical cooperation in various fields.

The Vietnamese Deputy PM underlined key cooperation areas, including bolstering rail, road, sea and air transport connectivity; and accelerating the construction of pilot smart border gates to facilitate trade between the two countries and the broader region. He welcomed Guangxi's capable enterprises to expand quality investments in Vietnam and increase imports of Vietnam’s key products, especially aquatic products and fruits.

He suggested close coordination in border management in accordance with the three legal documents on the Vietnam-China land border to promptly and effectively address emerging issues. He emphasised the need to foster coordination in immigration management and cross-border crime prevention, and hasten the upgrading and opening of new border gates and crossings that both sides have agreed upon.

Liu, in turn, stressed the importance of strengthening friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnamese localities and ministries. He extended his sincere sympathy to the Vietnamese people hit by typhoon Yagi and subsequent floods, announcing that Guangxi will provide support for some Vietnamese localities to recover from the natural disasters.

The Party organisation, authorities, and people of Guangxi will effectively realise the common high-level perceptions and joint statements from recent reciprocal visits by leaders of the two countries, he said, adding that Guangxi will continue stepping up friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnamese ministries and localities, actively contributing to advancing the China-Vietnam Community with a Shared Future that carries strategic significance.

Later that afternoon, Phoc and his delegation visited the China-ASEAN Information Harbor in Nanning city./.