Beijing (VNA) – Presidentof Vietnam Vo Van Thuong met with Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee ofthe Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, member of the Committee’s Secretariat and Chief of the Committee’s Office, in Beijing onOctober 19.

The two sides applauded the progressin the relations between the two Parties and the two countries, especiallysince the historic official visit to China by General Secretary of theCommunist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong in lateOctober 2022, as seen in frequent all-level delegation exchanges and meetings, manynew and important achievements obtained, enhanced political trust, promotedeconomic and trade cooperation, and Chinese investment in Vietnam reaching anew level.

They also discussed concrete measuresfor implementing the agreements reached between the two Parties and countries’ topleaders, and continuing to foster the friendship and cooperation across theboard.

President Thuong affirmed that Vietnam andChina are close neighbours and share similar political regimes, developmentpaths, and goal of socialism building.

The Party, State, and people ofVietnam attach importance to the reinforcement and development of thecomprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with their Chinesecounterparts, and consider this as the strategic choice and top priority inVietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, andmultilateralisation and diversification of external relations, he stated.

He asked the two countries to keep closecoordination and make good preparations for high-level mutual visits,strengthen cooperation between their ministries, sectors, and localities, promotesubstantive cooperation in all fields, and maintain the development trend of economicand trade ties.

The President called on China to continueexpanding the import of Vietnamese farm produce, increase investment in majorprojects typical for its development level, step up the partnership inconnecting the countries’ road and railway infrastructure, boost cooperation indeveloping the digital economy, digital infrastructure and digital manpower,and tighten cultural and people-to-people links to consolidate the foundationfor their long-lasting friendship.

On the basis of the high-level commonperceptions, the Vietnamese leader asked both sides to properly control andsatisfactorily resolve differences and outstanding problems in bilateralrelations in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law,for the sake of the two peoples and for peace, stability, cooperation anddevelopment in the region.

At the meeting, Cai said Vietnam and Chinaare important neighbours of each other and share broad common interests. Chinaalways views Vietnam as a priority in its neighbourhood foreign policy and isready to join Vietnam in increasing the strategic opinion exchange andpromoting the unceasing development of sustainable and long-term relationsbetween the two Parties and the two countries.

He suggested stepping up exchanges betweentheir Parties, States, and peoples to further intensify friendship between thepeople of Vietnam and China.

The senior CPC official also agreedon the need to foster economic and trade ties, transport infrastructure connectivity,and cooperation in the digital economy; encourage Chinese businesses tocontinue bolstering investment in Vietnam; and increase the frequency andquality of locality-to-locality connections, thereby actively contributing tothe bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership./.