Vietnamese Ambassador to China Nguyen Van Tho delivered the remark at a reception hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing on January 28 to celebrate the 61st anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations. 

Tho emphasised that the bilateral friendship, which was founded and nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh, President Mao Zedong and many leaders of both countries, is a common asset o their peoples that needs accumulative. 

Vietnam always remembers the valuable support and great assistance China extended to the Vietnamese people during their past struggle for national independence and their present process of national construction, he added. 

The ambassador also highlighted outstanding activities organised throughout 2010 when Vietnam and China celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations, the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and the success of the 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. 

Chinese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Zhijun said the bilateral relationship has grown intensively and extensively since China and Vietnam established a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. 

The settlement of border issues has made remarkable progress as seen in the official enforcement of legal documents on land border demarcation and marker planting, creatin a foundation for building the common borderline into a bridge of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, Zhang said. 

The deputy minister also affirmed that China attaches great importance to developing its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with Vietnam. 

Also present at the event were a large number of representatives of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, the General Political Department of the Chinese Liberation People’s Army, the China-Vietnam Friendship Association, the China Centre for International Economic Exchange and other agencies.