Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping’s visit to Vietnam will increase political trust and expand friendship between the two countries.

Head of the Chinese Party Central Committee’s International Liaison Department Wang Jiarui made this affirmation in an interview granted to the Chinese news agency, Xinhua, on the occasion of Xi’s visit to Vietnam from Dec. 20-22.

Wang said the Chinese Party and Government always see the China – Vietnam relations from a strategic and long-term height, and along with the Vietnamese Party, Government and people, pledge to beef up the comprehensive cooperation, as well as defend, maintain and develop the bilateral ties founded and fostered by the two countries’ generations of leaders.

China believes that with common efforts from the two sides and a high-level of interest from the Vietnamese Party and Government, the visit would further strengthen political trust, promote cooperation for mutual benefit, enhance friendship between the two peoples, speed up the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a stable, healthy and practical manner and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region, Wang said.

He added that cooperation and exchanges between the two Parties are an important part of the China – Vietnam strategic cooperative partnership, thus consolidating the two Parties’ leadership positions and promote the socialist cause in each country./.