ZHEJIANG – Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng has urged leaders of China’s Zhejiang Province to boost exchanges and co-operation with Vietnamese localities, making practical contributions to the development of Việt Nam-China relations.

The Vietnamese Party leader spoke yesterday at a meeting with Xia Baolong, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee of Zhejiang, at the end of his January 12 to 15 visit to China.

He congratulated the leaders and people of Zhejiang on their outstanding reform process, especially in pursuing a harmony of social and economic development, developing State-owned enterprises, protecting the environment, preserving and promoting cultural traditions, improving living conditions for local residents and accelerating international integration.

Xia briefed the Vietnamese delegation about the province’s socio-economic achievements and major future directions, as well as its cooperative ties with Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities.

He stressed that economic, trade, tourism and educational co-operation between Zhejiang and Vietnamese localities are developing fruitfully, adding the provincial authorities are willing to facilitate these cooperative relations.

Meeting with representatives of Chinese businesses in Hangzhou City,  Zhejiang Province on the same day, Party General Secretary Trọng underscored the important role that business-to-business co-operation plays in enhancing bilateral relations between Việt Nam and China.

He said Việt Nam attaches great importance to its economic, trade and investment ties with China, and works to create favourable conditions for businesses of both countries to enhance co-operation.

As an emerging market with a population of 92 million and an annual average growth rate of 6-7 per cent, Việt Nam is considered one of the most potential and attractive markets for foreign investment, he said.

General Secretary Trọng welcomed Chinese investment in Việt Nam, particularly in projects using advanced and environmentally friendly technologies, agriculture, high-tech industries, supporting industry, clean and renewable energy, and high-quality human resource development.

Liang Liming, Vice Governor of Zhejiang, expressed his hope that the meeting with the Vietnamese Party leader will help increase partnerships among Chinese and Vietnamese enterprises and localities in high technology, logistics, agricultural production, processing and export, while enhancing friendship and exchanges between the two peoples, especially the youth.

He told his guests that Zhejiang has enjoyed a long partnership with Việt Nam’s Thừa Thiên-Huế Province and other localities. As many as 26 Vietnamese companies have so far invested in Zhejiang, while Zhejiang firms have poured more than US$1.6 billion into more than 180 projects in Việt Nam, he said.

Liang said that with the guidance of both governments and the implementation of market economy regulations, the co-operative ties between Chinese and Vietnamese businesses and localities will become more effective.

Wrapping up his four-day visit to China, Party General Secretary Trọng sent a message of thanks to Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping for the warm reception accorded to the high-ranking delegation.

The head of the external relations commission of the Party Central Committee, Hoàng Bình Quân, told reporters that 15 important documents were signed between the two sides to intensify cooperation in different areas.

He also announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping accepted an invitation to visit Việt Nam and attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in late 2017.

Việt Nam and China issued a joint communiqué, which can be read on the website of Việt Nam News. – VNS