On the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, on behalf of his government, Vietnamese Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long delivered a recorded message to the Chinese people at the Beijing embassy in Hanoi.

The development of the countries’ comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is a priority of Vietnam’s foreign policy, he said.

Friendship and good neighborliness, fostered by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Mao Zedong, as well as generations of Vietnamese and Chinese leaders, are a precious asset of the two Communist Parties, States and peoples, the minister asserted.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo, also in a recorded speech, spoke about China’s desire to strengthen friendship, economic and trade ties with its southern neighbor.

Yesterday, top Vietnamese and Chinese leaders exchanged messages on the occasion of the anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc exchanged messages with Communist Party General Secretary and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang, and the head of the National Assembly, Vuong Dinh Hue, and the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Li Zhanshu, did the same.

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