HCMC – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh today, June 27, met Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in Beijing.

PM Chinh is in China for an official visit to the neighboring country and for the World Economic Forum (WEF) conference from June 25 to 28.

Speaking at his meeting with President Xi, the Vietnamese head of government proposed the two countries raise the quality of cooperation in fields such as economy, trade and investment.

Chinh said that developing a stable, healthy, sustainable, long-term relationship with China is a strategic option and a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and multilateralisation and diversification of relations, reported the Vietnam News Agency.

Vietnam persistently supports the “One-China” principle and is interested in China’s  global initiatives and stands ready to discuss with the country about them, Chinh added.

Xi affirmed that China considers Vietnam a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, saying this is China’s strategic option during the long-term development of bilateral ties.

China stands ready to promote relations between the two Parties and countries, making them more intensive and substantive, he said.

Chinh suggested China open its market further for Vietnamese agricultural products, create better conditions for Vietnam to open more trade promotion offices in China, give more quotas for Vietnamese goods in transit to a third country by China’s railway, and consider cooperation in developing a standard, high-speed railway connecting the two countries.

He said Vietnam needed Chinese businesses to expand high-quality investment in Vietnam and that the two nations enhance people-to-people exchanges.

Xi said China is willing to work together with Vietnam in maintaining strategic exchanges, promoting all-level exchanges, expanding the import of Vietnamese goods, and enhancing rail, road, border gate infrastructure connectivity.

Xi also welcomed Vietnam to participate in China’s global initiatives, for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world, according to the Vietnam News Agency report.