UPDATE - China, Vietnam ink 10 agreements

UPDATES WITH SIGNING OF AGREEMENTS, CHANGES LEDE HEADER AND DECK

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - China and Vietnam on Sunday inked 10 agreements ranging from agriculture to cross-border cooperation during Chinese Premier Li Qiang's three-day visit to Hanoi, state broadcaster Vietnam Television reported.

The two sides also signed a document on updating progress on cross-border railway links.

The signing ceremony followed Li's meetings with Vietnamese President To Lam, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Saturday.

China is Vietnam's largest trading partner and a vital source of imports for its manufacturing sector, with bilateral trade jumping 21% for the first three quarters from the same period last year to $148 billion.

Earlier, Chinese prime minister said that Beijing stands ready to promote "high-quality and high-level cooperation" in various fields with Vietnam, state media reported on Sunday.

In a meeting with Vietnamese President To Lam in Hanoi on Saturday, Li said China stands ready to solidify the six major goals of greater political mutual trust, more substantive security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, more solid popular foundation, closer multilateral coordination and collaboration, and more proper management of differences, China Global Television Network reported.

He expressed his hope that the two sides will simultaneously promote the "hard connectivity" of railway, expressway and port infrastructure and the "soft connectivity" of smart customs to provide solid support for improving trade and investment and safeguarding the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains.

Beijing, he went on to say, is willing to work with Vietnam to actively study the pilot construction of cross-border economic cooperation zones, expand cooperation in emerging fields such as information technology, new energy, the digital economy, and important minerals, and deepen cultural exchanges.

To Lam, for his part, said his country will "firmly" follow the path jointly set by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, adhering to the six major goals, to deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and promote building a Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

He said Vietnam "firmly" abides by the one-China principle and firmly opposes all forms of "Taiwan independence" separatist activities.

Vietnam, he added, supports Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China within multilateral frameworks to make greater contributions to promoting regional and world peace and prosperity.