This statement was made by Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh while receiving outgoing Chinese Ambassador Sun Guoxiang in Hanoi on July 6.

Minister Thanh affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State, people and army highly value the ambassador’s contributions to consolidating and developing the solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China, including the ties between the two armies.

Vietnam is grateful to China for its valuable assistance to the Vietnamese people over the years, he said.

The Defence Minister expressed his belief that bilateral ties will continue to be consolidated and developed under the motto of “friendly neighbourliness, comprehensive cooperation, long lasting stability and looking forwards to the future”.

The two sides will together solve issues left by history and newly arisen issues in a proper manner in the interests of the two countries’ people and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large, he said.

Minister Thanh said he hoped that Ambassador Sun would continue making contributions in his new position to developing the friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

For his part, the Chinese Ambassador congratulated the success of the 11 th National Party Congress and the election to the 13^th NA as well as Vietnam’s achievements in the past years.

He said that the Chinese Party, Government and people attach importance to the traditional friendship with Vietnam, affirming that he will contribute to further developing the friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.