Chinese premier meets Vietnamese PM in Nanning

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 16, 2023. Pham Minh Chinh is in China attending the 20th China-ASEAN Expo. [Photo/Xinhua]

NANNING -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Saturday in Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, pledging to bring bilateral ties to a new level.

Noting that China and Vietnam are friendly socialist neighbors and the two countries are working to build a community with a shared future with strategic significance, Li said that under the guidance of the top leaders of two parties, the relations between the two parties and countries have maintained a sound momentum of development.

Li said China regards relations with Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, and will work with Vietnam to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties, strengthen high-level guidance, support each other, safeguard common strategic interests and bring bilateral relations to a new level.

Li pointed out that China is willing to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnam and import more marketable quality Vietnamese products, explore port opening and upgrading, accelerate the construction of smart ports to provide more convenience for bilateral trade, and strengthen cooperation on railway connectivity, key minerals and other fields to jointly build a mutually beneficial, stable and unimpeded industrial chain and supply chain system.

He also said China wishes to expand exchanges and cooperation on youth, education, medical tourism and other fields to promote mutual understanding and amity between the two peoples.

The two sides should stay committed to managing their differences through dialogue and consultation, and work hand in hand to uphold fairness and justice, said Li.

Pham Minh Chinh is in China attending the 20th China-ASEAN Expo.

Noting that Vietnam and China are comrades and brothers, and the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is Vietnam's earliest and most valued foreign relationship at the highest level, Pham Minh Chinh said it has always been the objective requirement, top priority and strategic choice of Vietnam's foreign relations to continuously deepen the relations between the two parties and the two countries. The development of Vietnam's foreign relations will not harm the interests of any third party, he added.

Pham Minh Chinh said Vietnam adheres to the one-China principle and supports China's development.

Vietnam is ready to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties, further enhance political mutual trust, strengthen the synergy between the Two corridors and One Economic Circle and the Belt and Road Initiative, deepen cooperation on agriculture, economy, trade, finance and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

He also expressed the wish to properly manage differences and enhance multilateral coordination and cooperation to upgrade the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership of comrades and brothers to a new level, adding that Vietnam is willing to be the vanguard of ASEAN-China cooperation and promote the steady and sound development of ASEAN-China relations.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 16, 2023. Pham Minh Chinh is in China attending the 20th China-ASEAN Expo. [Photo/Xinhua]