Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Chinese Ambassa♒dor Hong Xiaoyong at the Government’s headquarters in Hanoi on August 17, noting that Vietnam has consi🍨stently given the greatest import to its relations with China.

He stressed that his country considered the reinforcement of friendship and comprehensive cooperation with the Chinese Party, State and people as one of its top priorities in foreign policy. The two nations’ neighbourliness and time-honoured amity provide an important foundation for strengthening partnership, seeking effective measures to properly settle disagreements, and creating favourable conditions for their respective socio-economic development, he said. The PM hailed the progress made in the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China, highlighting the positive outcomes of his meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang in Mongolia in July. He asked both sides to enhance political trust and traditional friendship, maintain high-level visits, and foster all-round cooperation, especially in trade, investment and other spheres they have strength in. The two countries should bolster connections between their youths to boost mutual understanding, as well as between their ministries and localities to effectively implement agreements reached at the ninth meeting of the steering committee for bilateral cooperation. Meanwhile, Vietnam and China also need to thoroughly deal with existing problems pertaining to economics, trade and investment to ensure balanced and sustainable ties, the leader added. He highly regarded the ambassador’s opinion on the necessity to control sea-related disagreements, along with information about the East Sea issue. In the face of recent complex developments at sea, both sides need to seriously comply with the common perceptions shared by their senior Party and State leaders, and the bilateral agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues. They should persistently resolve disputes by peaceful measures in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, while managing disputes and avoiding actions that can complicate or expand disputes in the East Sea. The countries, together with ASEAN nations, also need to fully and effectively enforce the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, work to soon finalise a code of conduct, and maintain peace and stability in the waters, the PM emphasised. At the meeting, Ambassador Hong said Chinese leaders believe that during his term, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc will greatly and practically contribute to the neighbourliness, amity and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and China for the sake of the two peoples. He stressed the Chinese Party and State always want to tighten bilateral links in all fields, particularly amidst the complexity in international and regional affairs at present. As the countries’ relations are thriving, they should increase mutual political trust between their senior leaders while fostering collaboration in other domains, including trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges, so as to make more substantive progress in their relationship, the diplomat said. He also asked both sides to soon sign agreements and memoranda of understanding on trade and economic partnerships, and work to address outstanding problems in trade and investment such as the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project in Hanoi. Regarding the East Sea issue, he expressed hope that the countries need to control sea-related disagreements and information, and not let such matters affect the overarching relationship.-VNA