Vietnamese and Chinese delegations in the meeting in Beijing on Sunday. — VNA/VNS Photo

BEIJING — Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn affirmed that developing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China is a top priority in Việt Nam’s external policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations.

He made the statement during the talks with Chinese counterpart Qin Gang held in Beijing on Sunday.

Sơn, who is accompanying Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on an official visit to China, underlined that Việt Nam attaches great importance to developing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China.

Qin affirmed that China considers Việt Nam a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy as well as in its relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The two sides agreed that PM Chính’s ongoing visit is of great significance in continuing to reinforce and concretise high-level joint perceptions reached between the two countries during Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng’s visit to China last October, contributing to promoting the development of Việt Nam-China relations in a stable, healthy and sustainable manner.

The two FMs hailed the positive development trend of the relations between the two Parties and countries recently. As the standing agencies of the Steering Committee for the Việt Nam-China relations, the two sides agreed to continue to work closely together in promoting meetings and exchanges at all levels between the two countries, while supporting ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries to deepen their partnership in all fields, expanding bilateral cooperation at multilateral forums, and properly settling disputes, thus maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region.

Highlighting a number of issues of Việt Nam’s concern in cooperation between the two countries, FM Sơn proposed that the two sides strive for balanced and sustainable economic-trade collaboration. He suggested that China open its market and create optimal conditions for Vietnamese goods, especially farm produce to enter China, while increasing high-quality investment in Việt Nam and coordinating with Việt Nam in dealing with obstacles in a number of joint projects and speeding up the disbursement of Chinese grants in Việt Nam.

Agreeing with Sơn’s proposal, Qin underlined that the two countries are becoming increasingly important economic and trade partners of each other. China is willing to work with Việt Nam to optimise the supplementary advantages of the two economies, affirming that his countries will increase the import of Vietnamese products, especially farm produce, and create favourable conditions for custom clearance of goods through road border gates between the two countries, thus maintaining the smooth supply and production chain.

China will also encourage its reputable businesses to invest in Việt Nam in areas of Việt Nam’s demand, he stated.

The two FMs also had sincere and straightforward discussions on issues at sea, concurring to continue to strictly implement agreements and perceptions reached by leaders of the two Parties and States, well control disputes and properly settle issues at sea.

Sơn said that the two sides should respect each other’s legitimate interests in line with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

At the meeting, the two FMs also discussed international and regional issues of shared concern. — VNS