Vietnam considers developing relations with China to be a top priority and strategic choice, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong has said.

He made the statement during talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping after the official welcome ceremony in Hanoi on December 12.

Party General Secretary Trong stressed that this third visit to Vietnam by President Xi coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, demonstrating the Chinese leader’s special sentiment towards the longstanding friendship and current stature and bright prospects for bilateral relations.

Party Chief Trong noted the Vietnamese Party and State’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisation of external ties, and a defense policy of the “Four No’s” and active and proactive global integration.

He expressed appreciation for the Chinese people’s assistance in Vietnam’s revolutionary cause, construction of socialism, and national development.

President Xi affirmed that the Chinese Party, government, and people attach great importance to relations with Vietnam, considering Vietnam a priority in China’s foreign policy in its neighborhood.

China consistently supports Vietnam’s cause of building socialism, prosperity, and the well-being of its people, he said.

Since Vietnam and China set up their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2008, bilateral cooperation in multifaceted fields has seen positive and comprehensive developments, while relations between the two Parties and States have been continually expanded and deepened.

During their talks, the two sides agreed to unceasingly consolidate political trust, increase exchanges between high-level leaders of the two Parties and States in diverse and flexible forms, and bring into play the role of strategically orienting the Party relationship in bilateral ties.

They agreed to strengthen defense-security cooperation in a more practical fashion, making it a pillar in bilateral ties, and to promote cooperation in economics, trade, and investment in a more sustainable and deeper manner.

Following their high-level talks, the two leaders witnessed 36 cooperative documents signed between ministries, agencies, and localities on both sides.