President Truong Tan Sang had a meeting with visiting Chinese Politburo Standing Committee member and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli in Hanoi on July 17.

The President said the visit is of great significance as the two countries mark the 65th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

He told his guest that to strengthen bilateral ties amidst current global and regional complicated situations, the two nations must first of all bolster their political trust on the basis of strict adherence to their high-ranking agreements.

Only mutual trust on the foundation of respect for each other’s legitimate interests, equality, sincerity and concrete actions could result in substantive outcomes in their collaboration, President Truong Tan Sang noted.

The Chinese guest said his visit aims at working with the Vietnamese Government to implement agreements reached by the countries’ leaders.

Accordingly, the two sides will exert efforts to intensify their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a result-oriented manner, maintain all-level contacts, and timely discuss critical issues relating to their relations and the region.

The visit also aims at actively removing obstacles and enhancing substantive cooperation in economics, trade, investment, and tourism. Particularly, the two sides will work out solutions to restore trade balance, step up investment in projects using China’s cutting-edge technologies, and closely coordinate to improve production capacity and efficiency, ultimately benefiting both sides, Zhang said.

With regard to sea-related matters, the two sides agreed to not expand disputes or escalate tensions, properly settle disagreements, and cooperate in less sensitive aspects at sea so as to ensure the stable and long-term development of the China-Vietnam relations, he added.

President Truong Tan Sang and the Chinese Vice Premier also reviewed milestones in the countries’ relations, demonstrated through visits by their senior officials in recent years.

The President hailed the content of cooperation between the two Governments, asking them to increase monitoring of and accelerate the implementation of reached agreements in all fields in line with the two peoples’ interests as well as for the sake of regional and international peace, stability, cooperation and development.

He noted that despite various measures to boost economic and tourism cooperation, some objectives have not been fulfilled such as restoring balance in bilateral trade. He asked the Chinese Government to work with Vietnam to reduce Vietnam’s growing trade deficit with China.

Regarding the Bien Dong sea situation, President Truong Tan Sang said the two sides have gone through lengthy discussions and many difficulties in order to reach agreements and common perceptions, therefore they should seriously implement those agreements. He added that in doing so, prospects will open up for the sound settlement of sea-related issues.

This matter is of utmost importance as it has impacts on the trust between the two peoples and relations between the two Parties and States, he stressed.

Party leader greets Chinese Party delegation

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong hosted a reception for a high-level Chinese Party delegation led by Politburo Standing Committee member and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli in Hanoi on July 17, hailing the significance of the visit for relations between the two Parties and countries.

The Party chief said the Vietnamese Party, State and people always attach importance to developing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, adding that he values the outcomes of Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli’s talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc on orientations and measures to develop bilateral ties, including result-oriented cooperation in economics, trade and investment and the translation of agreements into concrete projects.

He stressed that the two sides should strictly carry out common perceptions reached by their Parties and States’ leaders, foster result-oriented exchanges and cooperation in all fields, and deal with existing issues step by step for the sake of the two peoples and regional peace, stability and collaboration.

Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli applauded the sound progress in the relationship between the Parties and the nations, especially since the official China visit by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong recently.

He praised the accomplishments that the Vietnamese Party and people have gained in their doi moi (reform) period along with the country’s increasing stature in the region and the world.

He affirmed the Chinese Party and State place special importance on the traditional amity and all-faceted cooperation with Vietnam, noting that China is willing to join hands with Vietnam in consolidating their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership for the fundamental and long-term benefits of the two peoples.

Chinese Vice Premier visits friendship palace construction site

China’s Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli has hailed the significance of the Vietnam-China Friendship Palace, which, once completed, will be a symbol of the two countries’ friendship and serve as a venue for their people to meet and hold exchange activities.

Visiting the construction site in Hanoi on July 17, Zhang stressed the need for China’s Yunnan Group, the project’s main contractor, to ensure construction quality.

President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations Vu Xuan Hong affirmed that the friendship palace – a special gift of the Chinese Government and people – will contribute to enhancing the friendship and solidarity between the two nations’ people.

Hong updated the Vice Premier on the construction progress, saying that in June 2011, the union approved a master project on the Vietnam-China Friendship Palace with a total investment of 799 billion VND (approximately 36.7 million USD), 631 billion VND (29 million USD) of which is sourced from China’s non-refundable aid.

Construction on the palace began on March 4, 2015, he said, adding that with support from the two governments, ministries, sectors and localities, their architects, engineers and labourers have exerted efforts to put the palace into use by 2017.

VNA