Chinese FM meets Vietnam's deputy PM

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in Anning, Yunnan Province.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China and Vietnam have stood together to provide mutual assistance, forging a profound bond as "comrades and brothers," and have embarked on paths of socialist modernization suited to their respective national conditions.

He added that amid changes unseen in a century, China stands ready to work with Vietnam to build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future carrying strategic significance.

Noting that China and Vietnam enjoy close economic and trade ties, Wang said they should work together to oppose unilateralism and protectionism, uphold free trade rules, and safeguard the international trade system.

China supports Vietnam in building an independent economic system and encourages Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Vietnam, Wang said. China also stands ready to work with Vietnam to expand cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy and commercial aircraft.

Wang said China will facilitate the entry of Vietnamese agricultural products into China, as well as the establishment of Vietnamese trade promotion agencies in China, and hopes Vietnam will provide a favorable business environment for Chinese enterprises.

Son, who is in China for the tenth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, said Vietnam stands ready to work with China to plan high-level exchanges for the second half of the year, and enhance cooperation on trade and investment, railway connectivity, law enforcement, security and sci-tech innovation, with a view to achieving more substantive outcomes.

Vietnam looks forward to maintaining strategic communication with China, enhancing solidarity and cooperation, supporting each other on multilateral platforms, and jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability, Son said.