The Vietnamese Consulate-General in China’s Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau on January 18 hosted a banquet to celebrate the 60 th anniversary of Vietnamese-Chinese diplomatic relations (January 18).

On addressing the ceremony, the Vietnamese Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau, Pham Cao Phong, said that the traditional relationship between Vietnam and China has been continuously expanded in various fields, including politics, security, economics, culture, education, science and technology.

2010 is a landmark year for the two countries as they will hold their first-ever Vietnam-China Friendship Year, said Phong, adding that this is also the first year the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area has become operational and Vietnam takes over the ASEAN Chair.

Lu Xinhua, the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s chief representative in Hong Kong, praised the friendship shown between the two countries and praised the Vietnamese Consulate-General’s contributions to fostering ties between Vietnam and China in general and between Vietnam and Hong Kong in particular.

He said that he believed the traditional friendship between Vietnam and China will further develop in the years to come./.