Hanoi (VNA) – President of the SocialistRepublic of Vietnam Vo Van Thuong held talks with General Secretary of theCommunist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of the People'sRepublic of China Xi Jinping in Hanoi on December 13.

President Vo Van Thuong expressed his belief that followingthe historic visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party ofVietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong right after the 20th Congressof the CPC (October 2022), this visit to Vietnam by Party General Secretary andPresident Xi Jinping will bring relations between the two Parties and the two countriesto a new stage of development, which is better, and more effective andsustainable.

Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinpingthanked Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Vo Van Thuong, andother senior leaders of the Party and State, and the people of Vietnam for their warm welcome.

The two leaders exchanged congratulations on great achievementsrecorded by each Party and country in socialism building, bringing prosperity andhappiness to their people.

President Vo Van Thuong affirmed that the traditionalfriendship between the two Parties and the two countries, nurtured by President Ho ChiMinh and President Mao Zedong and cultivated by generations of leaders, has experiencedups and downs, and become a valuable asset shared by the two nations, whichshould be preserved and fostered by present and future generations.  

The Party, State and people of Vietnam always rememberthe great support of their Chinese counterparts during the cause of nationalliberation and development, the Vietnamese leader said, emphasising that developingrelations with China is always a strategic choice and a top priority inVietnam's foreign policy.

Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping appreciatedthe importance Vietnam attaches to the bilateral relations, affirming thatChina gives Vietnam a special position, and views the country as a priority inits neighbourhood diplomacy. 

Both leaders shared the view on the success of thetalks between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Party GeneralSecretary and President Xi Jinping, who reached many important perceptions.

The new positioning of the bilateral relations and thesix pillars of cooperation established by Party General Secretary Nguyen PhuTrong and Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping have clearly shownthe direction and opened up a period of fruitful cooperation between the twoParties and the two countries in the new era, they said.

President Vo Van Thuong expressed his hope that thetwo sides will increase exchanges and the sharing of experience in nationalconstruction and development, and enhance practical cooperation in spheres, especially in trade and investment, making it grow more healthily andeffectively.

The two countries should step up transportconnectivity, expand collaboration in agriculture, environment, science-technology,and health care, he said, suggesting the two nations boost people-to-people exchanges,organise cultural exchange activities, and enhance the communication work to promote the Vietnam-Chinafriendship, and encourage people, especially youths to know, understand, and beclose to each other, thus helping to consolidate the social foundationfor the relations between the two Parties and two countries.

Lauding the host leader’s proposals, Party GeneralSecretary and President Xi Jinping also noted his hope that the two sides willcontinue efforts to consolidate the political foundation, deepen the practical cooperation, and push ahead with economic recovery and development.

He affirmed bilateral cooperation has potential to further expand,and suggested enhancing strategic connectivity between the two economies,effectively materialising the plan connecting the "Belt and Road Initiative”with the “Two Corridors, One Belt” framework, building stable regional supply andproduction chains, stepping up cooperation between State-owned enterprise, and expandingpayments in local currencies in bilateral trade.

China stands ready to increase the import of goods,especially high-quality agricultural products from Vietnam, and encourageChinese enterprises to increase high-quality investments in the Southeast Asian country, theleader said.

Emphasising the importance of enhancing mutual understandingand trust, Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping said the two sidesshould increase exchanges and contacts between their people, especially youths,and step up the communications work to promote the good tradition of friendshipbetween the two sides.

The two leaders also exchanged views on maritime issuesand agreed to work together to maintain peace and stability at sea.

President Vo Van Thuong suggested the two sides persistentlypursue peaceful measures in accordance with international law and high-levelcommon perceptions, put themselves in each other's position, control and satisfactorilyresolve differences, and continue their close coordination with ASEAN to fullyimplement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and acceleratethe building of an effective and practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea(COC) in line with international law, including the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation andcoordination at multilateral forums for peace, cooperation and development inthe region and the world.

After the talks, President Vo Van Thuong and his spousehosted a banquet in honour of Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, his spouseand the high-ranking delegation of China./.