Beijing aiming to take ties with Hanoi to a new level

China wants to work with Vietnam on handling and resolving disputes properly to take bilateral ties to a new level, top military officer Fan Changlong said on Monday.

Fan made the remark while meeting with Ngo Xuan Lich, Vietnam's minister of national defense and vice-secretary of the Central Military Commission, who is on a four-day trip to China with a delegation of senior military officers.

It is his first visit to China since becoming defense minister in April. He also met with Vice-President Li Yuanchao on Monday.