Chinese leaders congratulate Vietnamese counterparts on anniversary of diplomatic ties

BEIJING - Chinese leaders on Sunday sent a joint congratulatory message to their Vietnamese counterparts to mark the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China; Premier Li Keqiang; and top legislator Zhang Dejiang jointly signed the message addressed to Nguyen Phu Trong, the party leader; Truong Tan Sang, the state president; Nguyen Tan Dung, the prime minister; and Nguyen Sinh Hung, the top legislator.

The Chinese leaders said that China and Vietnam are friendly neighbors and that friendly cooperation has always been the mainstream of interactions since the two countries established formal relations 65 years ago.

In recent years, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Vietnam has maintained momentum with frequent high-level contacts and great achievements in various cooperation fields, bringing tangible benefits to the two countries and peoples, they said.

Against the background of profound changes in international and regional arenas, good-neighborliness and friendship, enhanced political mutual trust and deepened cooperation are in line with the aspirations of the two peoples and their fundamental interests. They are also conducive to regional peace, stability and development, said the Chinese leaders.

The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government, they said, attach great importance to China-Vietnam relations and stand ready to work with Vietnam to carry forward strategic cooperation, bearing in mind a strategic and long-term perspective and the need to steer bilateral relations in the correct direction.