Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung and Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi. Photo: An Dang/VNA

FM Trung said the Party, State, and people of Vietnam always consider the consolidation and development of relations with China as a strategic choice and a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, and multilateralization and diversification of external relations.

He proposed that both sides further encourage substantive cooperation between localities, ramp up tourism cooperation, strive to increase the number of tourists visiting each country, and promote cultural cooperation.

Applauding Minister Trung's cooperation proposals, Minister Wang said that China is ready to closely coordinate to effectively implement the high-level common perceptions and suggested that both sides boost economic, trade, and investment cooperation. China supports the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, headed by General Secretary To Lam, in leading Vietnam to continue gaining many new and greater achievements, he said, reiterating China’s readiness to work with Vietnam to strengthen strategic trust, co-develop, and bring practical benefits to the people of both countries.

The two Foreign Ministers agreed that the two countries’ diplomatic agencies need to strictly adhere to the high-level common perceptions, continue close coordination, and effectively implement measures to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promote the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future. The two sides also had a frank exchange on maritime issues and other international and regional issues of mutual concern.