Chinese vice-premier voices confidence in relationship with Vietnam

HANOI - Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli said on Saturday that he is fully confident of the prospect of the relationship between the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) as well as that between the two nations.

Zhang made the remarks at a luncheon, attended by some 200 government officials and businessmen from both sides, at the end of his official visit to Vietnam.

Zhang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, arrived in Hanoi on Thursday for the visit at the invitation of the CPV Central Committee.

Recalling his meetings and talks with CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi, Zhang said his visit has served the purpose of strengthening strategic communication, enhancing political trust, boosting practical cooperation and increasing people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.

He encouraged the two sides, especially business circles, to remember, cherish and carry forward the traditional friendship, implement the consensus reached between parties and state leaders of the two countries and make contribution to the development of bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

At the luncheon, Phuc congratulated Zhang on his successful trip to Vietnam. The deputy prime minister said the push to advance the partnership as well as the drive for socialist undertakings of the two countries contribute to peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world at large.

Phuc said he believes Vietnam and China will enjoy long-lasting friendship and sustainable cooperation with joint efforts, guided by party and state leaders of the two countries.

Zhang's visit is of great significance as it came in an important period of the development of China-Vietnam relationship, said Wang Jiarui, who accompanied Zhang during the trip. Wang is vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

In spite of the tight schedule, Vice-Premier Zhang's visit has helped deepen the consensus, pushed forward practical cooperation and laid a solid social foundation for the development of bilateral relationship, Wang said.

The two sides agreed to increase high-level interactions to enhance strategic communication and political trust, boost maritime, on-land and financial cooperation to strengthen bilateral bond, appropriately handle disputes, create a favorable environment for the development of bilateral ties in a healthy and stable way, and instill impetus into the momentum of China-Vietnam relations, according to Wang.

Prior to the luncheon, Zhang met with some workers who are building a joint power plant in Vinh Tan, encouraging them to work hard to make the joint project an exemplary one between Chinese and Vietnamese companies.

The power plant is a typical embodiment of the idea of conjoining China-proposed Belt and Road initiative and Vietnam's Two Corridors and One Economic Circle plan, said the vice-premier.

Zhang also met with some Vietnamese friends at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi and asked them to continue working for the friendship between the people of the two countries. Together, they visited a photo exhibition on Ho Chi Minh and China-Vietnam relationship.

Earlier on Saturday, Zhang visited Ho Chi Minh's tomb to pay tribute to the late Vietnamese leader.