HCMC – The heads of government of Vietnam and China have discussed solutions to strengthen bilateral relations and agreed to foster the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

The statement was given during a meeting between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang today, June 26, as part of PM Chinh’s four-day visit to China, where he is also attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) conference from June 25 to 28.

Before the talks, PM Chinh attended an official welcome ceremony held by PM Li at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China.

Riding on the successful visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2022, PM Chinh said Vietnam consistently attaches great importance to and prioritizes enhancing the fruitful partnership with China, which is considered a strategic choice and a top priority of Vietnam’s foreign policy.

Meanwhile, PM Li stated that China values deepening ties with Vietnam as a prioritized direction in its neighborly diplomacy. China supports Vietnam’s national industrialization and modernization targets, as well as efforts to boost its role on the international stage, he added.

The two sides pledged to strengthen practical, goal-oriented cooperation in key aspects such as diplomacy, defense and security, as well as promoting the people-to-people and locality-to-locality friendship exchanges between Vietnam and China.

They also agreed to step up joint efforts in building the land border area for “peace, stability, cooperation and development”. They affirmed the importance of appropriately managing differences and the maintenance of peace and stability in the East Sea.

PM Chinh recommended China further open the market for Vietnamese agricultural products and facilitate the establishment of Vietnam Trade Promotion offices in Chengdu (Sichuan Province) and Haikou (Hainan Province).

He advised the two nations to deepen cooperation in areas such as finance, agriculture, transportation, environment and healthcare, with a focus on digital transformation, green development, circular economy and climate change response.

PM Li stated that the Chinese government encourages local businesses, particularly large ones, to invest in Vietnam in accordance with the Southeast Asian nation’s demand and development strategy.