Premier Li Keqiang held a phone conversation with Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on June 4.

Premier Li said China and Vietnam are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and waters, and through more than seven decades of bilateral diplomatic ties, both sides have always cherished their deep friendship built up by previous leaders.

Currently, leaders of both parties and states maintain regular communication, and as the Communist Party of China (CPC) will soon celebrate its centennial anniversary, China hopes to continue to enhance political mutual trust with Vietnam, deepen pragmatic cooperation, and push the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to new heights, Premier Li said.

Facing the challenges brought by COVID-19 and rising uncertainties and instabilities in the world economy, the expanded mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation between the two nations is conducive to stable economic recovery in East Asia, he said.

China, Premier Li said, is willing to strengthen synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle" with Vietnam, promote construction of cross-border economic cooperation zones, and keep industrial and supply chains smooth and stable.

He also expressed his hope to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in epidemic prevention and control, and research, development and manufacturing of vaccines.

China will continue providing support and assistance for Vietnam within its capacity, Premier Li said, expressing his hopes that Vietnam will facilitate vaccination of Chinese citizens living in Vietnam.

China would like to cooperate with Vietnam and other countries involved to make the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) take effect at an early date, thus bringing more benefits to the region and peoples, he said.

Chinh congratulated China on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, on behalf of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the government and people.

Chinh said the deep friendship between Vietnam and China is their common wealth, and maintaining and developing the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is a top priority for Vietnamese diplomacy.

Vietnam would like to strengthen relations with China, deepen cooperation in fields such as trade and investment, infrastructure, and mutual connectivity, in an effort to promote the healthy and stable development of Vietnam-China relations.

The two premiers agreed to deal with maritime-related issues according to the previous consensus, and mutually safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.

He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, also participated.