Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ (right) meets with Deputy Secretary of Yunnan province’s Party Committee Wang Yobo. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese Government attaches great importance to relations with Yunnan province, and agrees to increase the exchange of high-level delegations and step up bilateral cooperation in tourism, culture and science-technology, Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ said.

Receiving Deputy Secretary of Yunnan province’s Party Committee Wang Yobo in Hà Nội on Wednesday, Deputy PM Huệ stressed the Vietnamese Party and Government always treasure the friendship and practical co-operation with their Chinese counterparts.

Việt Nam wants to join hands with China to carry out high-level agreements, enhance political trust, deepen co-operative ties and properly settle existing issues on the basis of legal regulations and respect for each other’s legitimate rights, he said.

Wang said as Yunnan has targeted to become China’s gateway to South Asia, the province always treasures its relations with Việt Nam, and wants to enhance multifaceted cooperation with the nation.

He expected that trade value between the two sides would be higher than the figure of US$4.2 billion in 2018, accounting for only 2.8 per cent of Việt Nam-China trade revenue in the year.

Yunnan stands ready to purchase Vietnamese farm produce, and wants to develop the Hekou free trade area and help Việt Nam’s Lào Cai Province become a cross-border cooperation area between the two nations, Wang said, suggesting the two sides permit self-driving tours to boost tourism.

Deputy PM Hue agreed with Wang’s proposals in bolstering two-way trade, pointing out that Vietnamese exporters are facing a lot of difficulties while shipping farm produce to China through Thanh Thủy Border Gate in Hà Giang province and Tân Thanh Border Gate in Lạng Sơn Province, and urging leaders of Yunnan to help address the matters. — VNS