President Truong Tan Sang left Hanoi on June 19, starting a State-level visit to China at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping.

This will be the first-ever visit made by President Sang as Head of State and the first state-level visit by a high-ranking Vietnamese leader to China since the host country changed leadership.

The visit aims to affirm Vietnam’s consistent policy in relations with the Communist Party of China and the State of China.

It also looks to develop bilateral relations in a practical manner within the framework of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and bolster mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in various realms, especially economics and trade.

Before the visit, President Truong Tan Sang granted an exclusive interview to Chinese correspondents in Hanoi on a range of issues, from prospects of the two nations’ relations in the future to economic and trade potentials, and the way to deal with and address sea issues between the two countries.

He stated Vietnam treasures the development of a friendly relationship and comprehensive cooperation with the Party, State and people of China, considering it a fundamental, consistent and long-standing policy, and a leading priority in her foreign policy.

The Vietnamese State leader is scheduled to hold talks with President Xi Jinping, meet with other high-ranking Chinese leaders and visit Guangdong province.

The two sides are expected to ink a number of cooperation agreements and documents during the visit.-VNA