BEIJING — The Chinese side, as a comrade and brother, will continue to firmly support Vietnam in taking the socialist road for a better future, said State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on April 16.

In a telephone conversation with Bui Thanh Son, Vietnam's new foreign minister, Wang said China and Vietnam are friendly neighbors and important partners for each other, and both countries have stick to the leadership of the communist parties as well as their respective socialist cause, adding that the two sides belong to a community with a shared future of strategic significance.

Facing the transformations rarely seen in a century, Wang said, both sides should keep in mind their initial mission, enhance mutual trust and unity, strengthen strategic cooperation and safeguard common interests, which will not only help preserve the political security of the two countries and inject strong impetus into the world's socialist cause, but also fully conform to the trend of progress and development of the times.

Wang stressed that not long ago, the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries spoke again, drawing a blueprint and pointing out the way forward for the development of bilateral relations at present and in the future.

Noting that this year is extraordinary for both parties and countries, Wang said the Communist Party of China will celebrate its 100th anniversary and embark on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in an all-around way, adding that Vietnam, under the new party and government, is marching forward toward its two centennial goals of the establishment of the Party and the country.

Wang said that China is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges between the two parties and the two countries at all levels with Vietnam, accelerate cooperation in anti-epidemic, trade and investment, infrastructure and other fields, speed up the synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative and "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle," deepen people-to-people friendship and youth exchanges, properly handle maritime issues, and promote the continuous development of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership for the new era.

The Chinese side is willing to work with the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries including Vietnam to mark the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations between the two sides, promote the early entry into force and implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, speed up the connection between the Lancang-Mekong cooperation and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and realize the upgrading of China-ASEAN relations so as to better benefit the people in the region.

Bui Thanh Son, for his part, said maintaining and developing the traditional friendship and the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China is Vietnam's firm choice and diplomatic priority.

Son said that Vietnam congratulates the CPC on its 100th anniversary, and speaks highly of the great leap made by the Chinese people who, under the leadership of the CPC, have stood up, grown rich, and are becoming stronger, while striding toward the realization of the second centenary goal.

As a comrade and brother, Vietnam supports China's development, as well as its important role in maintaining peace and development in the region and the wider world, and the greater contributions it is to make to the world's socialist cause, he said.

At present, Son said, as both Vietnam and China are at critical stages of realizing their respective strategic development goals, promoting stable development of relations between the two parties and the two countries is of great significance to both sides.

The Vietnamese side is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields and exchanges at all levels, vigorously push forward economic, trade, and investment cooperation in a post-pandemic period, step up connectivity in transportation and infrastructure, enhance maritime cooperation, and jointly safeguard maritime peace and stability, he said.

Vietnam supports raising the strategic position of ASEAN-China relations, and holding a special foreign ministers' meeting on the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations, and is ready to work with China to drive forward the Lancang-Mekong cooperation, Son added.

He also said that it is hoped that the two sides enhance coordination and cooperation in such multilateral institutions as the United Nations.

During the phone talk, the two sides agree to hold as early as possible a new session of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation so as to coordinate their efforts in promoting bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields.