China, Vietnam pledge to boost strategic partnership

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Thursday and pledged to make joint efforts to boost comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two nations.

Recalling the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in April, Zhang said the two party chiefs reached extensive consensus on elevating the relationship between the two countries as well as the two parties in a new situation.

Zhang said the purpose of his Vietnam trip was to implement the consensus, by discussing with the Vietnamese side on concrete measures to strengthen strategic communication, enhance political trust, boost practical cooperation and increase people-to-people exchanges to advance the China-Vietnam partnership in a stable and healthy way.

The Chinese vice premier arrived in Hanoi on Thursday afternoon for an official visit at the invitation of the CPV Central Committee. Zhang is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Stressing on the significance of political trust and high-level interactions, Zhang said the Chinese side looks forward to more frequent high-level interactions with Vietnam to exchange views effectively and advance bilateral relations on a right track. "As an important part of bilateral relationship, the party-to- party ties play a special role in the development of China-Vietnam relationship,"Zhang said.

He added that solidarity and cooperation between the two parties, in the new situation, helps to consolidate their status as ruling parties and advance socialist undertakings.

He hoped the two sides would well practise the mechanism of high-level meetings between the two parties and exchange experience on governance more deeply.

The win-win cooperation has not only benefited people of the two countries substantially, but also helped promote peace, development and prosperity in the region, said the vice premier.

He proposed the two sides work together to conjoin their development strategies, referring to the alignment between China' s Belt and Road initiative and Vietnam's"Two Corridors and One Economic Circle"plan.

Zhang said the two sides should boost cooperation on trade, industrial capacity, infrastructure, finance and people-to-people exchanges.

He suggested the two sides work hard to boost maritime cooperation, appropriately handle maritime disputes in line with consensus reached between party and state leaders of the two countries, seek common ground while putting aside differences, keep in mind the big picture of bilateral relationship and maintain peace and stability in the South Sea on the basis of mutual respect and friendly consultation.

Zhang said the two sides should focus on joint development in the sea.

Echoing Zhang, Phuc said the April meeting has helped build a good momentum of bilateral relationship and Zhang's visit will help implement the consensus between the party leaders, cement the traditional friendship and boost practical cooperation between the two nations.

It is a strategic choice and long-standing policy of the Vietnamese party and government to develop relationship with China in a healthy and stable way, Phuc said, adding that the Vietnamese side is determined to safeguard and carry forward the traditional friendship with China.

Vietnam will advance all-round practical cooperation, and appropriately handle disputes with China to promote their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a sustained way, Phuc said.

The Vietnamese deputy prime minister said Vietnam will support and join the building of the Belt and Road.

Phuc suggested the two sides work together to ensure that a joint survey would be conducted outside the bay mouth of Beibu Gulf.

After the talks, Zhang and Phuc jointly witnessed the signing of a document on implementing an inter-governmental cultural agreement.

Wang Jiarui, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended Thursday's talks in Hanoi. Endi