Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on July 25 received Mr. Wang Huning, Special Representative of Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, who leads the Chinese delegation to attend the State funeral for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency has reported.

Mr. Wang is a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee’s Political Bureau and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee.

PM Chinh took the occasion to recall special milestones in the Vietnam-China relations involving both Party General Secretary Trong and Party General Secretary and President Xi, particularly their historic visits in 2022 and 2023 as well as the elevation of the bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

He affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State consistently regard the development of the long-standing, stable friendship and cooperation with the Chinese counterparts as an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy.

Vietnam is ready to work with China to effectively implement the high-level common understandings following the direction set by the two top leaders, with key focuses including promoting visits and exchanges at all levels, increasing cooperation between the two countries’ parties, ministries, sectors and localities, organising more people-to-people exchanges, and improving experience sharing in theoretical work, party building, and national management, PM Chinh said.

It is also necessary to deepen practical collaboration in such areas as economy-trade, investment, and transport infrastructure connectivity, as well as to effectively implement high-level agreements and common perceptions regarding the control and settlement of sea-related disputes, he said.

For his part, Mr. Wang extended deep sorrow and condolences from the Chinese Party, State, and people for the passing of Party General Secretary Trong, describing him as a staunch Marxist, an outstanding leader of the Vietnamese Party, State, and people, and a great friend of the Chinese people.

He stressed that China firmly supports Vietnam in pursuing a development path suitable to Vietnam's situation and continuously promoting its cause of socialism construction.

He expressed his confidence that the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two parties and countries will develop further according to the direction set by the late Vietnamese Party leader and General Secretary, President Xi on continuously deepening and elevating the countries’ comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and building the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

The same day, President To Lam hosted a reception for Mr. Wang.