Beijing (VNA) – Thanks to joint efforts, thefriendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China haverecorded many new strides in the recent past, according to VietnameseAmbassador to China Pham Sao Mai.

The diplomat recently granted an interview to Beijing-based correspondentsof Vietnamese press agencies ahead a visit to China on July 12 - 13 byPermanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, Chairman of the steering committeefor Vietnam - China cooperation, at the invitation of Chinese State Councillorand Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also Chairman of the steering committeefor China - Vietnam cooperation. During this trip, Minh will co-chair the steeringcommittee’s 14th meeting in Nanning city of the Guangxi ZhuangAutonomous Region.

Assessing bilateral relations, the ambassador said high-level meetingshave been maintained in flexible forms, which has greatly helped enhance politicaltrust between the two Parties and countries. Cooperation via theParty-to-Party, defence, public security, and locality-to-locality channels hasbeen sustained.

Economic and trade ties have developed stably, he said,noting that China remains the largest trading partner and the second biggestexport market of Vietnam. At the same time, Vietnam also continues to rank first in ASEAN andsixth globally among trading partners of China.

According to customs authorities of Vietnam, bilateral tradereached 165.8 billion USD in 2021 and 64.06 billion USD in the first fivemonths of 2022, respectively rising 24.6% and 13.3% from a year earlier. Meanwhile,China ranks sixth among 139 countries and territories investing in Vietnam withtotal registered capital of 22.31 billion USD as of June 2022.

In addition, substantive outcomes have been recorded in the two countries' cooperation against COVID-19, Mai went on, adding that China is one of thelargest suppliers of COVID-19 vaccine for Vietnam, effectively helping to bringthe pandemic under control.

Regarding border and territorial issues, the ambassador said theland border has stayed peaceful and stable, with both sides coordinatingclosely to properly settle issues emerging on the basis of the three legaldocuments on land border. The situation at sea has seen some new complicated factors,but it is basically stable when the two sides have maintained dialogue andnegotiation channels and made efforts to control disagreements on the basis ofinternational law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Vietnam and China have also actively worked with each otherat multilateral forums, especially ASEAN and the UN, to promote peace,stability and cooperation in the region and the world. They have supported eachother at international organisations, he said.

Highlighting the significance of the coming visit by Deputy PMMinh, Mai said the trip reflects both sides’ resolve to maintain closecontact between the two Parties and countries so as to further strengthenpolitical trust. It will help effectively implement Vietnamese and Chineseleaders’ common perceptions in order to develop the friendship and win-wincooperation in a result-oriented manner. Besides, the two sides will reviewbilateral cooperation since the steering committee’s 13th meeting inSeptember 2021 and discuss major orientations and concrete measures forpromoting bilateral ties in all aspects.

He held that to further bring into play the potential andadvantages of bilateral cooperation, Vietnam and China should coordinateclosely with each other to seriously and fully carry out their leaders’ commonperceptions as well as bilateral agreements, tackle difficulties and obstacles,and improve cooperation quality in all spheres.

The ambassador expressed his belief that on the basis ofexisting advantages, potential and demand, and with common resolve and effortsby the two States, countries and peoples, the Vietnam - China comprehensivestrategic cooperative partnership will be elevated to a new height./.