Vietnam holds important position in China’s foreign policy, says President Xi
VOV.VN - China always considers Vietnam a priority direction in its foreign policy, Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping told Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong during their meeting in Beijing on October 20.
China holds that Vietnam develops strongly and implements its national industrialization and modernization strategy successfully so that the two countries can develop altogether, Xi told Thuong at the meeting.
He highly appreciated Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to China late last year, demonstrating the importance the Party and State of Vietnam attach to China-Vietnam relations.
Thuong for his part congratulated China on its great achievements recorded after the 20th national congress the Chinese Communist Party, and affirmed that the Party, State and people of Vietnam always consider consolidating and developing Vietnam-China relations as a strategic choice and a top priority in the country’s foreign policy.
Noting with satisfaction the positive developments in Vietnam – China relations in recent times, the two leaders discussed extensively directions and measures to deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries in the coming time.
Thuong proposed that the two sides continue to enhance exchanges of delegation at all levels; promote economic and trade cooperation, with a focus on balancing trade exchanges and increasing the import of Vietnamese products; increase traffic connections; soon deploy Chinese aid to Vietnam; and handle problems in a number of cooperation projects.
He also proposed that the two sides make efforts to create a favourable atmosphere for the overall bilateral relationship to progress well. To this end, he emphasized the importance of increasing people-to-people exchanges, especially for younger generations, so that they can have a deeper and more complete understanding of the tradition of friendship between the two countries.
The President also requested that the two sides effectively control and adequately handle disagreements at sea, in respect of each other’s legitimate interests, in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while working together with related countries to build the East Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.
Welcoming Thuong’s proposals, Xi agreed to promote high-level exchanges at all levels so as to increase understanding and political trust between the two sides. He affirmed that China is ready to expand the import of Vietnamese goods, including agricultural and industrial and manufacturing products.
Xi suggested that the two sides strengthen the connection of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative with the ‘Two Corridors, One Belt’ framework by building a specific cooperation plan, while promoting strategic cooperation areas such as infrastructure, traffic connections, and sharing experiences in state-owned enterprise reform.
The two leaders also exchanged opinions on a number of international and regional issues of mutual concern, and agreed to make efforts to promote peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.
