Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Monday. — Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

KUALA LUMPUR — Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday.

PM Chính respectfully conveyed the greetings and best wishes of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Tô Lâm and other key Vietnamese leaders to Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other key leaders of China.

The PM also congratulated China on successfully organising the fourth plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, building the 15th Five-Year Plan with a high-quality development orientation. At the same time, he informed Premier Li about Việt Nam's new theoretical and practical achievements and the preparations for the 14th National Congress of the CPV.

The two leaders highly appreciated the positive and comprehensive progress in all areas of the Việt Nam-China relationship in recent times. PM Chính expressed his respect and appreciation for the close and effective coordination between Premier Li and the State Council of China in promoting bilateral cooperation.

PM Chính suggested the two sides maintain high-level exchanges, consolidate political trust; promote coordination mechanisms and strategic exchanges between the two countries; and raise the level of defence and security cooperation pillars.

Emphasising the importance of railway cooperation for the development of each country, he proposed that two sides promote the mechanism of the Việt Nam-China Railway Joint Cooperation Committee, giving the highest priority to this key cooperation area. He urged China to actively cooperate with Việt Nam on preferential loans, railway human resources training and cooperation in building the Railway Industrial Complex.

The two leaders also discussed measures to respond to recent developments in tariff policies and specific measures to promote healthier and more balanced development of economic and trade relations between Việt Nam and China.

PM Chính suggested China continue to import high-quality agricultural products from Việt Nam. He also proposed that two sides promote the expansion of the smart border gate model, actively study the cross-border economic cooperation model, cooperate in electricity connection and speed up the implementation of Chinese aid projects in Việt Nam while strengthening scientific and technological cooperation to become a new highlight in the bilateral relations.

Agreeing with the cooperation focuses mentioned by PM Chính, Premier Li affirmed that the State Council of China is ready to work with the Vietnamese Government to deploy and concretise the common perceptions between the top leaders of the two Parties and the two countries; step up high-level strategic exchanges; and further promote cooperation to achieve substantial progress, especially in areas of mutual interest such as economy and trade, high-quality investment, and railway infrastructure connectivity.

At the meeting, the two sides had frank, sincere and constructive exchanges on maritime issues in line with the spirit of high-level common perceptions on controlling and resolving disagreements, contributing to maintaining peace, stability and development in the region as well as in the world. — VNA/VNS