On July 10, Thang, who is also President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) and Chairman of the Central Theory Council, paid a courtesy call to Cai Qi, member of the Politburo Standing Committee, Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s Secretariat and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; and held talks with Li Shulei, Politburo member, Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s Secretariat and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

During talks and meetings, both sides spoke highly of new positive developments in the relations between the two Parties and countries over the past years, especially following the historic China visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong right after the 20th National Congress of the CPC.

The two countries’ ministries, agencies, organisations and localities have actively and effectively realised the high-level common perceptions and the Joint Statement on continuing to promote and deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship.

Exchanges and visits at all levels, especially high level, have been maintained regularly while the exchange of theory and experience in Party building and national governance has been enhanced.

The economic and trade relations have maintained a positive growth momentum, and locality-to-locality cooperation has shown encouraging progress.

Cai Qi stressed that ties between the two Parties serve as an important foundation and overall, strategic direction for bilateral relationship.

The Chinese Party and State are ready to work with their Vietnamese counterparts to lift the traditional friendship between the two Parties and countries to a greater height, making bilateral cooperation in various fields increasingly effective and substantive, he said.

On the occasion, Thang conveyed Vietnamese Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong’s greetings and invitation to Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping to visit Vietnam this year.

He affirmed that his visit aims to realise the high-level common perceptions and the Vietnam-China Joint Statement in 2022. It represents a continuation of the high-level exchanges and contacts between the two Parties and countries.

In its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of external relations, Vietnam always values and gives top priority to developing ties with China and stays ready to work together with Chinese Party and State to advance the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership into a new development phase, with greater political trust, more effective and substantive cooperation, more solid social foundation, and better control and settlement of differences based on the high-level common perceptions and in accordance with international law, he said.

They agreed to realise agreements reached between the two Party leaders, strengthen the leadership and direction of the Party in the overall relationship between the two countries, facilitate high-level and regular exchanges and contacts, continue to deepen theoretical and practical exchanges between the two Parties, especially regarding Party building and national governance, expand people-to-people and locality-to-locality exchanges to consolidate the foundation of friendship, and together maintain an environment of peace and stability.

Earlier, the Vietnamese delegation held discussions with experts, scholars and theorists from the CPC, engaging in in-depth exchanges on theoretical innovations and practical achievements of each Party and country. During their stay in Beijing, Thang and his entourage visited staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in China.

On July 11, they are due to hold a working session with leaders of the CPC’s Central Party School and paid a working trip to Guangdong province./.