Hanoi (VNAꦑ) - Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung’s official visit to China contributed to strengthening political trust between the two nations, for mutual benefit, peace and prosperity of their people, said Chairman of the NA's External Relations Committee Tran Van Hang.

In his interview granted to the press, Hang highlighted the significance of the visit, saying that it aimed to promote the implementation of agreements reached between the two countries’ high-ranking leaders. During his five-day stay from December 23, the Vietnamese top legislator met with China’s Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Yu Zhengsheng. He held talks with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China (NPC) Zhang Dejiang, and received President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Li Xiaolin. The two sides’ leaders exchanged views on the Vietnam-China ties in the spirit of straightforwardness and honesty, reviewed achievements in bilateral cooperation over the last 65 years, and put forward orientations for their partnership in the future, Hang said. NA Chairman Hung discussed with Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhang Dejiang measures to step up comprehensive affiliation between the two legislatures. They signed a cooperation agreement between the two legislative bodies, opening up a new cooperation period of their agencies. The East Sea issue was also discussed during the talks and meetings, where the Vietnamese legislative leader underlined the importance of the issue, as it concerns the sovereignty, sovereignty right, jurisdiction and core interest of the two nations as well as the feeling of the two peoples. He shared the view of China’s Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping that the disagreement on the East Sea issue between the two sides cannot be solved immediately, but the important thing is to well control the situation and realise the greater significance of common interests and aspirations of both sides. Both sides have looked at the issue in a straightforward manner and agreed to enhance exchanges and continue with consultations and negotiations with a view to well controlling the situation, preventing the occurrence of complications and finding out long-term solutions for the issue in line with international law and ensuring both sides’ interest. In his meetings with leaders of Hunan and Guangdong provinces, NA Chairman Hung emphasised the need to boost people-to-people exchange between the two countries, in order to further foster comprehensive cooperation, especially in economics, trade, science-technology, culture and education. Leaders of the two Chinese provinces committed to considering the Vietnamese official’s suggestion for stronger ties between their localities with Vietnam in general and with their Vietnamese counterparts in particular. According to Chairman of the NA's External Relations Committee Tran Van Hang, this is the first visit to China by the Chairman of the 13th National Assembly, and also the first high-level legislative visit of Vietnam and China in eight years. Therefore, the visit aimed to not only promote relations between Vietnamese and Chinese legislative bodies, but also perform the NA’s supervisory role on the implementation of common perception reached between the two countries’ leaders.-VNA