The statement was made by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga at a regular press briefing in Hanoi on January 28, during which she reviewed the country’s key diplomatic achievements in 2009 and spoke about its focus for 2010.

In response to queries about the Vietnam-China Friendship Year in 2010, she recalled how the two countries first established diplomatic ties on January 18, 1950, describing this as an important and significant event in both countries’ histories.

The two countries have agreed to celebrate the event at local and central levels throughout the year, she added.

Both have organised a series of activities in January, making a good start for the Friendship Year, Nga noted.

Vietnam attaches great importance and spares no effort in developing its comprehensive cooperative strategic partnership with China in line with the motto of “friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, durable stability and future-oriented vision” and the four-good spirits of “good neighbours, good friends, good comrades, and good partners.”