At the meeting, General Thanh highlighted the significance of the China visit and stated that the Vietnamese Party, State, Armed Forces and people always attach a lot of importance to relations with their Chinese counterparts.

He said cooperation in national defence is an important part of bilateral strategic ties and is aimed at preserving peace and stability in the region.

Meanwhile, Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie stressed the need for more joint working and exchanges between the armed forces of both countries in the face of new occurrences in the region and around the world.

On the occasion, Minister Thanh handed over a donation of $30,000 from the Vietnamese Defence Ministry to aid the quake victims in China’s Qinghai province.

Later the same day, Mr Thanh and his entourage met with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People.