China wants to foster traditional friendship, deepen co-operation and enhance political trust with Vietnam to further promote the comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership between the two countries.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun made the statement at a ceremony to mark the 62nd anniversary of Vietnam - China diplomatic ties, in Beijing on January 18.
Zhang said that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to China has helped orient the development of China - Vietnam relations for the near future and properly settle marine issues. He added that Vietnam and China have also seen new development and expansion of economic, trade, security, defence, cultural and educational co-operation.
Minister Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in China, Hoang Ngoc Vinh said that since the diplomatic ties were established, the traditional friendship founded by President Ho Chi Minh and his Chinese counterpart Mao Zedong is always the main stream of thought, meeting the aspirations and basic interests of the two peoples.
Vinh said that China was the largest trade partner of Vietnam for the seven consecutive years to 2011, with two-way trade last year reaching over US$40 billion, up nearly 33% from the previous year.
It will serve as an important foundation to develop bilateral economic co-operation to a new level, both in width and depth, in line with the motto of “friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive co-operation, long-term stability and looking toward the future” and the four-good spirits of “good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and good partners”, Vinh said.
He said he believes the two countries will gradually settle the remaining disagreement to turn the East Sea into a territory of peace and co-operation for mutual development.
(VNA)