A view of the reception. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — President Lương Cường received Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China Sen. Lt. Gen. Zhang Youxia in Hà Nội on Friday.

The host leader affirmed that Việt Nam and China are neighbours sharing mountains and rivers and boasting a traditional friendship that features both comradeship and fraternity – a precious common asset of both nations needing to be maintained, inherited, and promoted.

Việt Nam always views developing the friendship and cooperation with China as an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, he stated.

The President noted Việt Nam always strongly supports and firmly believes that the Chinese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, with Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping being the core, will successfully realise the second centenary goal, thus making greater contributions to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

Zhang expressed his delight at his first visit to Việt Nam in the position of Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China. He congratulated Cuong on his election as President of Vietnam, as well as on the socio-economic development achievements the country has obtained during nearly 40 years of Đổi mới (Renewal).

Both host and guest noted with satisfaction the strong strides in their countries’ relations, especially since the mutual visits by the two Parties’ leaders, during which the Việt Nam – China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership was elevated to build a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, helping generate tangible benefits for the two countries' people and maintain peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.

Cường spoke highly of the outcomes of the talks between the Vietnamese Minister of National Defence and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of Việt Nam, Phan Văn Giang, and the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China.

Highlighting the progress in bilateral defence ties, he asked the two countries’ central military commissions and defence ministries to further intensify bilateral defence cooperation through organising mutual visits at all levels, especially high levels, and effectively maintaining the available cooperation mechanisms.

Zhang said his visit aims to carry out the common perceptions reached by leaders of the two Parties and the two countries while fostering the two armies’ cooperation in national defence and security in an increasingly result-oriented manner.

As Việt Nam will celebrate its 80th founding anniversary and the two countries will mark the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year, the two sides will persevere in the path chosen by leaders of the two Parties and countries and enhance collaboration in various fields to build a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance for the sake of their people, according to the Chinese official. — VNS