Vietnam will try its utmost to foster its friendship and cooperation with China on a wider and deeper basis characterised by mutual trust, affirmed National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

The top Vietnamese legislator made this statement in Hanoi on February 4 while receiving a delegation from the Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament led by its President Han Qide, who is also Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

He expressed his belief that the delegation’s four-day visit, starting from February 2, will help further develop the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples.

He said he hoped that the two sides might strengthen exchange and cooperation between the two parliaments and peoples.

NA Chairman Trong congratulated the Chinese people on the great achievements they obtained during their reform and opening-up process and affirmed that experiences to be drawn from China’s development process are very useful for Vietnam.

He expressed his thanks for China’s valuable support for Vietnam during its struggle for national independence in the past as well as its current national construction and development.

Han said he was impressed by Vietnam’s development in all aspects during his first visit to the country and congratulated the Communist Party of Vietnam on its 80th founding anniversary.

The people of the two nations have shared a time-honoured relationship and once supported and assisted each other during their struggles for national liberation in the past--and both have chosen the path towards socialism, he said.

The Chinese official said he believed that the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between China and Vietnam would continue to expand to meet the needs and development goals of both sides.

While sharing Trong’s opinions on strengthening exchanges and cooperative ties between the two legislatures, Han said he has accumulated experiences in legislative operations, especially in enhancing the parliament’s supreme supervisory role.

Han looks forward to the two legislatives bodies promoting exchanges and cooperation on specific affairs, based on their commonalities in terms of functions, tasks and mechanisms.

During the visit, the Chinese delegation also took part in working sessions with the leadership of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and its Ho Chi Minh City chapter, the Vietnam Peace Committee and the Vietnam Peace and Development Fund. It also paid a courtesy visit to leaders in HCM City.

At these meetings, both sides praised the value and importance of the Vietnam-China traditional friendship and affirmed the need to step up their comprehensive cooperation for the sake of the interests of their people as well as peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world at large.

The officials also shared operational experiences and agreed upon a number of measures aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries’ peoples during the Year of Vietnam-China Friendship 2010.

Han voiced his support for the fight for justice of Vietnamese Agent Orange/dioxin victims and pledged to cooperate with Vietnam in this field in future./.