Chinese, Vietnamese presidents exchange greetings ahead of lunar new year

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Phu Trong [File Photo: China Plus]

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday exchanged greetings with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President Nguyen Phu Trong on the coming lunar new year.

Xi said the year 2018 marked the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

During these 10 years, China and Vietnam adhered to carrying forward the Sino-Vietnamese traditional friendship, strengthening exchanges and boosting mutual trust, Xi said.

The two countries supported each other, extended a helping hand to each other, enhanced political guidance to the bilateral relationship, and jointly promoted the development of their socialist causes, Xi said.

China and Vietnam have deepened pragmatic cooperation in various areas, and realized mutual benefit and win-win, he said.

Xi pointed out that the two sides should make a blueprint for the development of bilateral relations with a broader vision, strengthen high-level exchanges, promote development strategies docking, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

Xi also noted that the two countries should work to increase the sense of well-being and happiness of the two peoples through cooperation, so as to cement and pass down the friendship between China and Vietnam.

He said the Spring Festival is a fresh beginning, and he firmly believes that the bilateral relations will achieve new, greater development with joint efforts of both sides.

In his message, Trong said that in 2018, the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership achieved fruitful results under the guidance of leaders of both parties and countries, and with the efforts of departments at all levels in the two countries.

He expressed willingness to work together with Xi to strengthen guidance to the departments at all levels, build on what has already been achieved in bilateral cooperation, increase high-level visits and exchanges, and consolidate political mutual trust.

Trong also pledged to promote cooperation in various fields to gain substantial progress, so as to bring the relations between the two parties and the two countries to a higher level.