A train from Vietnam passes the China-Vietnam border in Hekou county, Southwest China’s Yunnan Province in 2018. File Photo: IC

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Monday and said China is willing to pursue strategic alignment with Vietnam, focus on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and strengthen cooperation in various fields, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Li noted that China-Vietnam relations have maintained a sound momentum under the guidance of the two countries' leaders, stressing the importance of pushing forward the bilateral relationship to the next level and injecting more stability and positivity into the world's peaceful development.

As for further strengthening the bilateral cooperation, Li said that China is willing to accelerate the alignment of development strategies with Vietnam, prioritize high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, make good use of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation mechanism, and coordinate and advance cooperation on law enforcement and security, the economy, trade and investment, science, education, culture and health.

Li said the two sides should accelerate the negotiations and signing of cooperation documents for the Belt and Road cooperation and "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle" plan. He also called on the two sides to deepen the potential of railroad transport efficiency, accelerate the connection of standard railroads at the border, and promote the opening and upgrading of ports and the connection of facilities.

In terms of further expanding cooperation, Li said that the two countries should step up cooperation in fields including agricultural trade, investment, energy and other fields. In addition, Li said there should be an increase in direct flights and more exchanges in the fields of cultural tourism and education.

Li said he hoped the Vietnamese government would continue to create a favorable business environment for Chinese enterprises.

Pham said that Vietnam treats the relations with China as the top priority of its foreign policy, and is willing to further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership with China.

Pham stressed that the Vietnamese side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, actively supports the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, and is willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side in the fields of trade, investment, infrastructure construction, science and technology and other areas.

After the meeting, various documents targeting sectors such as market regulation and the construction of ports were signed in the presence of Li and Pham.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on June 20 that prime ministers of four countries including Pham will attend the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin and pay an official visit to China.

Mao said that the two sides will discuss ways and steps to act on the top party leaders' common understandings and exchange views on deepening Belt and Road cooperation, enhancing connectivity and stabilizing industrial and supply chains during Pham's visit.

"We believe the visit will strengthen the sound momentum of growth in bilateral relations and promote solid progress in deepening our comprehensive strategic cooperation," Mao said.

China has recently resumed cross-border electricity exports to the country for the first time after a seven-year hiatus amid Vietnam's recent power crunch. The bilateral trade in the first five months of 2023 reached 122.01 billion yuan ($16.86 billion), a year-on-year increase of 4.8 percent, Chinese customs data showed.