China, Vietnam vow to enhance cooperation

HANOI - China and Vietnam have promised to further promote their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The pledge was made during a meeting on Tuesday between Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chinese Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua.

Hu is in Hanoi to attend the World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2018 from Tuesday to Thursday.

Hu said the leaders of the two countries have made top-level designs and strategic plans for the development of bilateral ties during their exchange of visits last year.

China is willing to work with Vietnam to follow through on the progress the leaders of both countries have made so as to move forward the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, he said.

Noting that China welcomes Phuc and his delegation to the China International Import Expo, or CIIE, to be held in November, Hu said China stands ready to facilitate Vietnamese companies' participation.

Phuc, for his part, said Hu's attendance at the WEF not only shows the importance attached by China to Vietnam-China relations, but also demonstrates the brotherly friendship between the countries.

He said that developing good neighborliness and friendship as well as across-the-board cooperation with China is the top priority for Vietnam.

Vietnam supports and is willing to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, he said, adding that Vietnam will join hands with China to promote their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

On Tuesday, Hu also met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Hanoi.

Hu said that at present China-Singapore relations are enjoying sustained and stable development with cooperation being continuously expanded.

China supports Singapore's work as the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and attaches great importance to Singapore's unique role in the ASEAN, he said.

China is willing to step up synergy of development strategies with ASEAN countries and deepen pragmatic cooperation so as to build an even closer China-ASEAN community of shared future, he added.

Singapore is welcome to actively participate in the CIIE, Hu also said.

For his part, the Singaporean prime minister said the city state is willing to work with China to advance the process of negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, safeguard free trade and multilateral rules, and promote regional development and prosperity.

Lee added that Singapore will continue to play a constructive role in deepening China-ASEAN relations.

Xinhua

(China Daily 09/13/2018 page12)