Vietnam’s top leaders have exchanged congratulatory messages with their Chinese counterparts to mark the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (January 18).
The messages were from Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung to General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President Hu Jintao, Chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.

Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh also cabled messages of congratulation to Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

The Vietnamese ambassador to China, Nguyen Van Tho, the Chinese ambassador to Vietnam, Kong Xuanyou, and friendship associations between Vietnam and China have organized events to mark the day.

Embassy celebrates 62 years of Sino-Vietnam relations

The Vietnamese embassy in China commemorated the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-China diplomatic relations on January 18 in the presence of many senior Chinese officials.

At the ceremony, Vietnamese Charge d’Affaires Hoang Ngoc Vinh reviewed the ties of solidarity and traditional friendship between the two countries over the last 62 years.

He stressed that the traditional friendship between Vietnam and China, forged by President Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong, has been always the mainstream of bilateral relations, despite certain ups and downs.

Vinh also recounted major events in Vietnam-China cooperation in economics, politics, culture, society, security and national defence last year.

2011 was the seventh consecutive year that China was Vietnam’s largest trade partner, with bilateral trade revenues hitting more than US$40 billion, according to the Chinese customs.

Vinh expressed his wish that both Vietnam and China will gradually settle their only East Sea dispute, and turn the Sea into a marine area of peace and development.

Meanwhile, China’s Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun affirmed that China attaches great importance to its relations with Vietnam and wants to join Vietnam in building their traditional friendship, deepening cooperation and increasing mutual political confidence.

VNA/VOV