Party General Secretary and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng talks on the phone with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping yesterday about the upcoming Lunar New Year festival and the 70th anniversary of Việt Nam-China diplomatic ties.— VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng talked on the phone with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday about the upcoming Lunar New Year festival and the 70th anniversary of Việt Nam-China diplomatic ties.
Party chief Trọng congratulated the Chinese Party, government and people on their achievements in national development over the past years. He wished the Chinese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, new successes in the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.
The Vietnamese leader said despite ups and downs since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties seven decades ago, friendship and cooperation remain the focus of the ties between the two Parties and countries. The bilateral friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership meet the keen aspirations and essential interests of the two peoples, he said.
Trọng expressed his view that both sides should maintain their traditional friendship and step up practical and mutually-beneficial cooperation in all areas, strengthen people-to-people exchange, thus creating a solid social foundation for bilateral ties.
He said the two sides should persist in using peaceful measures to settle existing issues in bilateral ties on the basis of the common perceptions by leaders of the two countries and Parties, in line with international law, contributing to the stable and healthy development of Việt Nam-China ties, for the benefit of the two nations, and for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi congratulated the Vietnamese people on their achievements since the 12th National Party Congress.
He also congratulated the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) on its 90th founding anniversary and expressed his belief that under the leadership of the CPV, the Vietnamese people will score greater achievements in the next period.
The Party, Government and people of China attach importance to the traditional neighbourly friendship with Việt Nam, and stay ready to work to foster political trust, boost substantive collaboration in various areas to bring benefits to the two peoples, and intensify people-to-people exchange to lay solid foundation for bilateral links, he said.
Xi stressed that China will actively support Việt Nam so that it will fulfill its role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-21 tenure and Chair of the ASEAN in 2020. — VNS