Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on China and Vietnam to "strengthen strategic co-operation" to guard against global turbulence during talks with his counterpart in Hanoi.

The two countries have sought to deepen already close economic and security ties to guard against global trade upheaval instigated by US President Donald Trump with his tariff moves.

Beijing has portrayed itself in the region as a reliable alternative to an erratic United States, and Wang described an "international landscape characterised by intertwined turmoil".

"The two countries should deepen strategic mutual trust, strengthen strategic co-operation, promote development amid change, safeguard security amid crisis, enhance their respective national strategic resilience and development momentum," Wang told his Vietnamese counterpart, Le Hoai Trung, during talks on Sunday.

Those moves, he said, should be in line with the agreement by the top leaders of the two ruling parties to hold the first ministerial meeting of the China-Vietnam "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defence and public security, and the 17th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Co-operation.

Stating that this year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan and the new era for Vietnam's national rise, presenting unprecedented opportunities for the socialist cause in both countries, Wang said the advantages of the socialist systems of China and Vietnam were becoming increasingly prominent and that the strategic value of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future was continuing to rise.

Trung proposed that both sides "promote balanced and sustainable trade" and called for "boosting high-quality investment, fostering technology transfer within industrial co-operation, and co-ordinating closely to ensure energy security", according to a statement from Vietnam's foreign ministry.

He added that as friendly neighbours, comrades and brothers, Vietnam was always willing to support China's development and growth, the enhancement of its international status, and its greater contributions to the socialist cause, as well as world peace, stability, and development.

Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy and, as always, supports China's position on issues related to Xinjiang and Xizang, said Trung.

He also noted that Vietnam was willing to work with China to plan the next stage of high-level exchanges, strengthen inter-party exchanges, promote pragmatic co-operation in trade, investment, green development, and connectivity, implement cultural exchange projects, and join hands to deepen and solidify the strategically significant China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

They also held "sincere and frank discussions regarding maritime issues", the statement from Vietnam's foreign ministry said.

Wang, meanwhile, said China would work with Vietnam to "properly handle maritime issues", according to the foreign ministry in Beijing.

Both Vietnam and China get much of their oil imports via the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping has largely been halted due to the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Defence Minister Dong Jun and Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong are also in Vietnam until Tuesday for talks with their counterparts. (Xinhua/AFP)


Edited by Tony Sabine