Xi calls for new chapter of China-Vietnam strategic partnership

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China and Vietnam should be good comrades, good partners, good neighbors and good friends in their future featuring pragmatic and extensive cooperation.

While addressing hundreds of Vietnamese congressmen in the country's legislative National Assembly, Xi said both countries, boasting of the valuable friendship cultivated by leaders of the older generations, should stick to the big picture of friendly communication and common development to cement bilateral ties, which is of great strategic significance.

With similar challenges ahead for both countries, Xi said, China highly values its relationship with Vietnam and is willing to promote the lasting stability and healthy development of their relationship, so as to benefit the two peoples.

Quoting the late Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh's remark that "China and Vietnam enjoys comradely and brotherly friendship," Xi said the two countries are expected to become good comrades that help and trust each other; good partners that features win-win cooperation; good neighbors with remarkable amity; and good friends with frequent exchanges and visits.

To make those prospects come true, the Chinese leader said, the two sides should resort to friendly consultation to properly resolve their differences, to enhance exchanges to build up the socialist cause with unswerving confidence, to connect their development strategies and to work together for a better regional order.

The two peoples of China and Vietnam, "drinking the water from the same river, and seeing each other day and night," have the same history of fighting against colonialism and the prospect for building a more prosperous nation, Xi said.

To renew the hard-won neighborly friendship that has weathered the twists and turns, he said, the two countries are expected to manage and control their disputes through friendly consultation and increased people-to-people exchanges.

More communication means more mutual understanding and trust, Xi said, adding that China welcomes more and more Vietnamese people to study, do business and travel in China.

Before the speech, Xi met with Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, saying he hopes to see more communication between the legislative bodies of the two countries.

Xi said that China's National People's Congress and Vietnam's National Assembly, both playing important role in their countries' political life, are key bridges to promote the mutual understanding and friendship of the two peoples.

He said that the two bodies are expected to make more contribution in consolidating the public support for China-Vietnam friendship.

Echoing Xi's remarks, Hung extended warm welcome for Xi's visit, saying the Vietnamese National Assembly fully supports the promotion of mutual trust, deepening pragmatic cooperation and expanding the traditional friendship of the two countries, and will work hard to enhance communication and cooperation with its Chinese counterpart.

On the same day, Xi visited the mausoleum of the late Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh, who made great contribution in fostering bilateral friendship with China. Endi