Hanoi (VNA) – On behalf of the VietnameseGovernment, Nguyen Hong Dien, member of the Party Central Committee andMinister of Industry and Trade, has delivered a pre-recorded congratulatory speechon the occasion of the 73rd founding anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomaticties (January 18, 1950 - 2023).

In his remarks, Dien highlighted the traditional friendshipthat is “both comradeship and brotherhood” between the Vietnamese and Chinesepeople.

TheVietnamese Party, State, and people consider the enhancement and development ofthe comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China as the strategicoption and top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence,self-reliance, and multilateralisation and diversification of foreignrelations, he emphasised.

He noted with satisfaction that in 2022, administrations at all levels and sectors of the two countries made joint efforts to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control and promote cooperation in various fields.

High-level exchanges and meetings in person were resumed. Amongthem, the official visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trongright after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party ofChina held special significance to relations between the two Parties,countries, and people.

Meanwhile, many cooperation projects have been promoted,customs clearance in their border gates kept stable, and many agriculturalproducts of Vietnam exported via the official channel to China such as banana,durian, sweet potato, salangane nest, and passion fruits, according to the minister.

He expressed his belief that in 2023, with both sides’determination and joint efforts, the Vietnam-China friendly neighbourlinessand comprehensive cooperation will continue developing in a practical,stable, healthy, and sustainable manner, thus meeting the two countries’aspirations and their people’ interests and contributing to peace,cooperation, and development in the region and the world at large.

Inhis speech, Dien also offered New Year and Lunar New Year greetings tothe people of Vietnam and China.

Also on this occasion, Chinese Ambassador toVietnam Xiong Bo highly valued achievements in bilateral ties over the last 73years.

He affirmed that the Party and State of China attachimportance to the development of the comprehensive strategic cooperativepartnership with Vietnam, and that they are ready to join hands with Vietnam instrengthening political trust, intensify result-oriented cooperation in allspheres, and bolster exchanges and mutual understanding, thereby heralding anew period for relations between the two Parties, countries, and their people./.