A gathering was held in HCM City on Monday to celebrate the 71st founding anniversary of Việt Nam-China diplomatic relations. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) held a gathering yesterday to celebrate the 71st founding anniversary of Việt Nam-China diplomatic relations (January 18, 1950 - 2021).

In his remarks, Chairman of the Việt Nam-China Friendship Association in HCM City Dương Quan Hà said the two countries are neighbours with a time-tested friendship. Their relations, nurtured by late Presidents Hồ Chí Minh and Mao Zedong and generations of leaders, were lifted to the comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership and are flourishing.

On the basis of their partnership, leaders of Việt Nam and China have held many mutual visits and online talks over the years to strengthen the traditional friendship, which is considered a precious asset of the two countries.

The encouraging developments in bilateral ties, as well as the development and stability of each nation, have consolidated confidence in a new stage of stronger and more substantive development of their relations, Hà noted.

He also highlighted the friendship and co-operation between the HUFO, the Việt Nam-China Friendship Association in HCM City and the Chinese Consulate General and Chinese businesses here, noting they have co-operated in friendship, cultural, and social activities to enhance mutual understanding between the people of HCM City and Chinese localities, contributing to their countries’ friendship.

For his part, Chinese Consul General to HCM City Wu Jun emphasised that over the last 71 years, China-Việt Nam relations have become a role model of ties between socialist nations.

In recent years, he added, under the leadership of the two countries’ top Party leaders and thanks to common efforts, bilateral ties have been growing well with cooperation increasingly substantive in all fields, from politics and economy to people-to-people diplomacy.

Notably, in 2020, the countries carried out a wide range of joint activities to fight COVID-19, assist the settlement of natural disasters’ consequences and promote trade and investment links.

Wishing the Communist Party of Việt Nam a successful 13th National Party Congress, the diplomat pledged to work with the HUFO in people-to-people diplomatic activities to foster the sustainable development of the countries’ partnership. — VNS